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www.ambiente.us MARCH / MARZO 2008
Ric Weiland Leaves $65 Million to Support Gay Rights and HIV/AIDS
Organizations
Largest Single Bequest Ever to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender (LGBT) Movement By Early Microsoft Employee
Pride Foundation to Distribute Weiland's Groundbreaking Bequest
Pride Foundation of Seattle is honored to announce the establishment of a
sizable new fund from the estate of Ric Weiland. Mr. Weiland's gift of $65
million is the largest single bequest ever to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) movement. As one of Microsoft's first employees, having
joined the company that was started by two of his high school classmates
Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Ric Weiland used philanthropy to strengthen his
community by giving generously to many organizations. When Weiland died
in June of 2006, he made sure that the work he cared about in his life would
continue, leaving the vast majority of his estate to LGBT, HIV/AIDS, environmental and education
organizations. Pride Foundation is honored to be one of the organizations receiving a tremendous bequest
from Ric Weiland for our grants, scholarships and leadership development work and for distribution to
organizations working to advance LGBT equality.
"Ric was one of Pride Foundation's closest supporters, not just as a donor, but as a board member and
volunteer," said Audrey Haberman, executive director of the Pride Foundation. "All of us feel such a
tremendous loss with him gone. Ric's bequest will do what he always wanted-inspire others to give to the
causes they care about to the full extent that they can."
A modest man, Weiland could have easily started his own foundation, but chose instead to work through
existing national and local organizations. He was known for carefully vetting the charities he supported and
shunning public accolades. Weiland intended his gifts to inspire people to work together for positive change
and to strengthen the communities that they touched.
"Ric was a good friend, a terrific computer programmer and a very generous man," said Paul G. Allen,
co-founder of Microsoft and friend of Weiland. "His gift to the Pride Foundation demonstrates his compassion
and dedication to the community, and I'm very proud to have had him as a friend. He will be sorely missed but
his legacy lives on through the work of Pride and the charitable organizations it supports."
Through his estate, Weiland established a fund at Pride Foundation that will provide $46 million over the next
eight years to 10 national LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations that he personally selected. In addition, he
bequeathed $19 million directly to Pride Foundation for our scholarships and grants supporting the
Northwest's LGBT community.
The following organizations will be receiving funding from the Weiland Designated Fund at Pride Foundation:
-- amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
-- Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
-- Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
-- In The Life
-- International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)
-- Lambda Legal
-- National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
-- Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
-- Project Inform
-- Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
"Ric gave scores of LGBT groups significant resources to achieve real change during his lifetime. He did not
seek the spotlight -- or even acknowledgement -- as he gave away tens of millions of dollars," said Urvashi
Vaid, executive director of the national Arcus Foundation, who also knew Ric as a friend. "With this
extraordinary gift, Ric's legacy challenges each of us to commit more fully to our own community and to realize
that there is much more still to be done."
Ric Weiland died in June of 2006, at the age of 53, committing suicide after struggling with depression. He is
survived by his partner, Mike Schaefer of Seattle and his nieces and nephews.
About the Pride Foundation
Pride Foundation is a community foundation serving the Northwest's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
community. Pride Foundation makes grants to organizations and gives educational scholarships to students
in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Founded in 1985, Pride Foundation has given more than
$7.2 million to over 500 organizations and 522 students in an effort to strengthen the LGBT community. To
learn more about Pride Foundation and the 10 beneficiaries of the Weiland Designated Fund, please visit
www.pridefoundation.org.
Pride Foundation
Cathy Renna, 917-757-6123, cathy@rennacommunications.com, or Simon Aronoff, 202-510-6705,
simon@rennacommunications.com, both of Renna Communications, for Pride Foundation; or Zan
McColloch-Lussier of Pride Foundation, 206-323-3318 (X101), zan@pridefoundation.com
www.pridefoundation.org
Copyright © Pride Foundation & AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.
Ric Weiland Leaves $65 Million to Support Gay Rights and HIV/AIDS
Organizations
Largest Single Bequest Ever to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Transgender (LGBT) Movement By Early Microsoft Employee
Pride Foundation to Distribute Weiland's Groundbreaking Bequest
Pride Foundation of Seattle is honored to announce the establishment of a
sizable new fund from the estate of Ric Weiland. Mr. Weiland's gift of $65
million is the largest single bequest ever to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) movement. As one of Microsoft's first employees, having
joined the company that was started by two of his high school classmates
Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Ric Weiland used philanthropy to strengthen his
community by giving generously to many organizations. When Weiland died
in June of 2006, he made sure that the work he cared about in his life would
continue, leaving the vast majority of his estate to LGBT, HIV/AIDS, environmental and education
organizations. Pride Foundation is honored to be one of the organizations receiving a tremendous bequest
from Ric Weiland for our grants, scholarships and leadership development work and for distribution to
organizations working to advance LGBT equality.
"Ric was one of Pride Foundation's closest supporters, not just as a donor, but as a board member and
volunteer," said Audrey Haberman, executive director of the Pride Foundation. "All of us feel such a
tremendous loss with him gone. Ric's bequest will do what he always wanted-inspire others to give to the
causes they care about to the full extent that they can."
A modest man, Weiland could have easily started his own foundation, but chose instead to work through
existing national and local organizations. He was known for carefully vetting the charities he supported and
shunning public accolades. Weiland intended his gifts to inspire people to work together for positive change
and to strengthen the communities that they touched.
"Ric was a good friend, a terrific computer programmer and a very generous man," said Paul G. Allen,
co-founder of Microsoft and friend of Weiland. "His gift to the Pride Foundation demonstrates his compassion
and dedication to the community, and I'm very proud to have had him as a friend. He will be sorely missed but
his legacy lives on through the work of Pride and the charitable organizations it supports."
Through his estate, Weiland established a fund at Pride Foundation that will provide $46 million over the next
eight years to 10 national LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations that he personally selected. In addition, he
bequeathed $19 million directly to Pride Foundation for our scholarships and grants supporting the
Northwest's LGBT community.
The following organizations will be receiving funding from the Weiland Designated Fund at Pride Foundation:
-- amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
-- Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
-- Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
-- In The Life
-- International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)
-- Lambda Legal
-- National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
-- Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
-- Project Inform
-- Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
"Ric gave scores of LGBT groups significant resources to achieve real change during his lifetime. He did not
seek the spotlight -- or even acknowledgement -- as he gave away tens of millions of dollars," said Urvashi
Vaid, executive director of the national Arcus Foundation, who also knew Ric as a friend. "With this
extraordinary gift, Ric's legacy challenges each of us to commit more fully to our own community and to realize
that there is much more still to be done."
Ric Weiland died in June of 2006, at the age of 53, committing suicide after struggling with depression. He is
survived by his partner, Mike Schaefer of Seattle and his nieces and nephews.
About the Pride Foundation
Pride Foundation is a community foundation serving the Northwest's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
community. Pride Foundation makes grants to organizations and gives educational scholarships to students
in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Founded in 1985, Pride Foundation has given more than
$7.2 million to over 500 organizations and 522 students in an effort to strengthen the LGBT community. To
learn more about Pride Foundation and the 10 beneficiaries of the Weiland Designated Fund, please visit
www.pridefoundation.org.
Pride Foundation
Cathy Renna, 917-757-6123, cathy@rennacommunications.com, or Simon Aronoff, 202-510-6705,
simon@rennacommunications.com, both of Renna Communications, for Pride Foundation; or Zan
McColloch-Lussier of Pride Foundation, 206-323-3318 (X101), zan@pridefoundation.com
www.pridefoundation.org
Copyright © Pride Foundation & AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.
