Houstonian's Mega Gift
Houston billionaire donates $25 million to university for study of democracy

Exactly one week after honoring 12 area teachers with the Kinder Excellence in Teaching Awards for a total of $240,000 in grants, generous philanthropistsNancy and Rich Kinder are making a monumental gift today to his alma mater, the University of Missouri.
The Kinders and friends are in Columbia, Missouri, today to officially present the $25 million gift from the Kinder Foundation for establishment of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy. A news release from the university states that the institute will provide "an initiative to promote excellence in teaching and scholarship about American constitutional and democratic principles, history and traditions."
Kinder, No. 52 on Forbes list of wealthiest Americans, received his bachelor's and law degrees from Mizzou.
This is not the first gift that the Kinders have committed to the university. An earlier $1.67 million gift from the family foundation established the Kinder Institute. The current endowed gift will give permanent support to that center.
“Future generations should have the opportunity to study and understand the history and importance of how our country and government system was created,” Kinder said in a statement. “I am confident this gift will create a world-class Institute that will focus on constitutional democracy and what makes America the greatest nation on earth.”