Dan Duncan Philanthropy
A consistent ranker in the exclusive Forbes World’s Richest People list, Dan L. Duncan ranked 117th in 2008, then 81st the year after with a net value of $8.2 billion. Profiled in several other prominent philanthropic rosters as well, he is one of BusinessWeek’s 50 Top American Givers of 2008 and the 2006 Slate 60.
As a prostate cancer survivor, he made it a point to name Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine (where he was diagnosed in 1995 and subsequently treated) as one of his primary beneficiaries. Dan Duncan does whatever he can to support the college’s work and mission. He is truly a man of his word.
Aside from serving as one of its board of trustees, he and his family have been stalwart financial supporters of Baylor. In February 2003, a $2 million donation established an endowed chair named the Dan L. Duncan Family Chair in Prostate Disease. Presented in September 2004, a total of $35 million went to Baylor Clinic, the college’s adult ambulatory care center. One more transformational gift was for the college’s Cancer Center, which Dan Duncan committed $100 million to in 2006.
In 2008, the Dan L. Duncan Family Foundation enabled The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to advance its research in cancer within the context of medically underserved and minor communities. Through the $35 million given by the foundation, The Dan Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment came into being. This is only one of the many gifts that the family has awarded the institution in its over 25 years of generosity.
Dan Duncan is also actively involved with the Texas Heart institute, The Children’s Learning Institute at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston Museum of Natural Science ($5 million paleontology renovation donation in 2006), and the Texas Children’s Hospital’s Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute ($50 million commitment for completion in 2010).
The Houston Zoo Incorporated, Texas Wildlife Association, Exotic Wildlife Association, and the Boy Scouts of America, are other non-medical organizations that have been recipients of Dan Duncan’s aid.
In 1996, Dan Duncan was recognized for his “Outstanding support of wildlife conservation, lifetime hunting achievement and dedication to the principles of ethical sport hunting,” with the Weatherby Award.
He currently serves as the chairman of the board/director of Enterprise Products Partners LP, Duncan Energy Partners LP, and Enterprise GP Holdings LP, all of which he founded. Dan Duncan is included in the Texas Business Hall of Fame upon his induction in 2003.
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The HOPE Project, located in Tenaha, TX, applied fot a grant from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation. Wayne Corley, the Executive Director, called to let us know they wouldn’t be able to expand their support to include our initiative this year. Mr. Corley mentioned Temple Webber, Jr., a trustee of the Temple family foundation, who suggested that we get in touch with you since Mr. Duncan was raised in Shelby County and might be interested in helping us with our project. Is it possible the Dan Duncan Foundation might be interested in our initiative for a dental clinic for the uninsured and apartments to house medical and dental students with us on rotation? May we send an application to you?