John and Laura Arnold, who used to be millionaires in the hedge fund industry, have built a strong reputation as some of the most ardent philanthropists in the world. They have given over $2 billion, or 42% of their estimated $2.9 billion net worth, to charity.
The pair made their promise through The Giving Pledge, which was founded by Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda French Gates to get very rich people to give away at least half of their money.
John Arnold started out as a natural gas trader at Enron and then ran the hedge fund Centaurus Partners. In 2012, when he was 38, he quit to focus on giving back. According to Fortune, he has a remarkable five out of five charity score on Forbes’ scale. This number is only given to people who have given more than 20% of their income to charity.
Pushing for real-time changes in charity
The Arnolds are known for their dedication to not only giving, but also giving in a way that works and is based on statistics. This is the main goal of their foundation, Arnold Ventures, which they started in 2008. The foundation’s top priorities include big policy concerns including criminal justice, education, health care, and fixing the infrastructure.
The couple’s method is based on making sure that results can be seen and measured in real time. The Arnolds have said that they do not want to set up a legacy foundation after they die, which is very different from how most charity foundations work. Instead, they want to give away all of their money while they are still alive.
Bella DeVaan, co-author of a Giving Pledge report, recently lauded the two for their dedication to giving right away and in large amounts. DeVaan said that the Arnolds “have bravely chosen to give and learn how charity can really move money out the door instead of keeping it safe.”
Only Donors Who Are Actually Following the Giving Pledge
The Arnolds’ actions bring up a bigger issue regarding how accountable philanthropists should be. The Institute for Policy Studies looked at the Giving Pledge in 2025 and discovered that only a few billionaires have really kept their promise, even if they publicly promised to do so.
The study says that since the program started in 2010, the Arnolds are the only donors who are strictly following the spirit of the pledge. The study also said that only eight of the 22 signatories who had died had maintained their promises. DeVaan told Fortune that the Arnolds were very important, saying, “They’re among the most important players in the Giving Pledge class when it comes to pushing real charity reform.”