Craigslist founder gives away $500M, slams billionaires leaving donation pledge
What's the story
Craig Newmark, the multi-millionaire founder of online classifieds platform Craigslist, has given away about $500 million to charity since starting the company 30 years ago. In a recent op-ed for The New York Times, he expressed his disappointment with billionaires like Peter Thiel who have been urging their wealthy peers to withdraw from The Giving Pledge. This initiative encourages billionaires to donate a significant portion of their wealth during their lifetime.
Philanthropic shift
Newmark's op-ed in The New York Times
Newmark, who signed The Giving Pledge last year, was taken aback by Thiel's and other billionaires' positions. He said, "When I started Craigslist in the mid-1990s, I never thought I'd become rich. But I did." He added that it makes no sense for those with this kind of money to criticize anyone giving it away. This comes as a stark contrast to the growing trend of individualism and ostentatious displays of wealth in America.
Personal journey
Newmark's personal life and the origins of Craigslist
Newmark credits his philanthropic mindset to the lessons learned from Holocaust survivors Rafael and Rachel Levin, who taught him that kindness is more important than riches. He started Craigslist as a weekly email detailing upcoming events for friends in San Francisco. The site has since evolved into a global success story, remaining one of the top-500 most visited websites worldwide with over 100 million monthly visitors.
Wealth management
Newmark's daily routine and his philanthropic efforts
Despite his financial success, Newmark has never been a billionaire. He doesn't own a car and prefers public transport in NYC. His daily routine includes work meetings, coffee with friends, feeding neighborhood pigeons, reading sci-fi books, and watching TV with his wife. In 2015, he founded Craig Newmark Philanthropies to donate to causes he cares about, such as cybersecurity, journalism, military families, veterans, and pigeon rescue.
Philanthropic pledge
'Regular people who want to share'
Newmark joined The Giving Pledge in 2025 after it opened its membership beyond billionaires. He described it as a surreal moment because he never intended to be rich but was standing up for "regular people who want to share." Despite criticism of the initiative from some tech billionaires, Newmark remains committed to his philanthropic efforts and continues to speak out against misinformation and lies that threaten public trust.