The philanthropist and entrepreneur Ken Griffin has announced a new donation of USD 50 million to facilitate the arrival of Success Academy, a renowned New York charter school network, to the state of Florida. This contribution will allow Success Academy to open its first campuses in Miami in the 2027 academic year, expanding its educational model outside its original base for the first time.
The investment announcement was made at a press conference led by Governor Ron DeSantis. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
With this, Griffin has now contributed over USD 100 million to educational initiatives in South Florida since relocating to the region in 2022.
The announcement was made during a press conference at Florida International University (FIU), led by Governor Ron DeSantis, who highlighted Griffin’s gesture as an example of civic leadership aimed at offering greater school choice options for families in the state.
DeSantis emphasized that the arrival of Success Academy will expand the educational alternatives available and bring a proven model for serving students from low-income families, a core focus of this educational network founded in 2006. Success Academy, led by CEO Eva Moskowitz, currently serves 22,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade across more than 40 campuses in New York.
All of its graduates have been accepted into four-year colleges, according to data presented at the event. Griffin himself stated that he feels “proud to join” DeSantis and local leaders in this initiative, expressing his expectation for the “profound impact” it will have on Miami’s students and families.
Griffin’s Philanthropic Track Record
According to Citadel, the financial firm Griffin founded and leads, the entrepreneur has donated over USD 2 billion in total to projects promoting education, health, and access to opportunities. His contributions include recent disbursements through his organization Griffin Catalyst.
Days before the Success Academy announcement, Griffin Catalyst and the Bezos Family Foundation jointly donated USD 7 million to support the Teach to One Roadmaps program by New Classrooms in the Miami-Dade school district. This initiative aims to strengthen math instruction across different proficiency levels.
Other business figures, such as developer and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, are increasing their involvement in creating and funding new schools in the region. Through his firm Related Ross, Ross has committed at least USD 28.34 million to finance the construction of Wingrove Academy, a private school run by ElevateED in Wellington.
Ken Griffin founded Citadel in 1990 after graduating from Harvard College with honors in economics. Under his leadership, Citadel manages over USD 60 billion and ranks among the world’s most profitable hedge funds. Additionally, he spearheaded the creation of Citadel Securities in 2002, one of the largest global market makers, serving over 1,600 institutional clients, including central banks and sovereign wealth funds.
Griffin’s philanthropic contributions have supported education, medical and cultural research, and have played a role in federal projects such as accelerating the development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines under Operation Warp Speed.
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