David Gelbaum

Co-Founder of California hedge fund, Sierra Enterprises Group

Gelbaum is done with philanthropy. He’s already given away most of his fortune and lost much of the rest. Not long after he retired from TGS, a Los Angeles Times report identified him as the anonymous donor who’d been bankrolling the Sierra Club and helped a conservation group buy a large chunk of the Mojave Desert. He acknowledged the gifts and has since disclosed more than $1 billion in giving, including support for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and the American Civil Liberties Union. In a handful of interviews, he’s avoided saying much about the source of his wealth. After leaving TGS, Gelbaum bet heavily on green technology: biofuels, solar panels, smart grids. The New York Times reported in 2010 that he’d invested $500 million of his fortune in green companies and given away or paid in taxes most of the rest. He took a role that year as chief executive officer of Entech Solar (ENSL), a Texas company he’d been supporting financially. In 2012, the company announced that it was running out of cash and that Gelbaum had stopped propping it up. Other companies in his portfolio faced challenges. The next year, he and his wife announced they were “not in a position to give more” to charity. Nor did they expect they’d ever be.

Relationships Interlocks Giving Data

Donors to Common Recipients

Recipients of donations from David Gelbaum also received donations from these orgs and people

Donor	Common Recipients
Anne Bartley	Neil Abercrombie, Barbara Boxer, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Lane Allen Evans, David Edward Bonior, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, Democratic State Central Committee of CA - Federal, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5, Jim Maloney, Lynn N Rivers, Winston Bryant
John Hunting	Neil Abercrombie, Brian Baird, Barbara Boxer, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Lane Allen Evans, David Edward Bonior, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, Jim Maloney, Randy Rathburn, Lynn N Rivers, Mike Ward, Sierra Club Political Committee, Bill Yellowtail
Barbra Streisand	Neil Abercrombie, Brian Baird, Barbara Boxer, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Lane Allen Evans, David Edward Bonior, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Democratic State Central Committee of CA - Federal, Jim Maloney, Lynn N Rivers, Roxanne Qualls
Alida Rockefeller Dayton	Brian Baird, Barbara Boxer, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Debbie Stabenow, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Lane Allen Evans, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, Jim Maloney, Lynn N Rivers, Sierra Club Political Committee
James R Arnold	Neil Abercrombie, Brian Baird, Barbara Boxer, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Debbie Stabenow, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Lane Allen Evans, David Edward Bonior, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, Lynn N Rivers, Roxanne Qualls, Sierra Club Political Committee
Robert Soros	Brian Baird, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Debbie Stabenow, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Lane Allen Evans, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Jim Maloney, Bob Coffin
Andrea Soros Colombel	Brian Baird, Barbara Boxer, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Lane Allen Evans, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, Jim Maloney, Lynn N Rivers, Bob Coffin, Sierra Club Political Committee
George Soros	Barbara Boxer, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Lane Allen Evans, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Bill Bradley, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Jim Maloney, Mike Ward, Bob Coffin
George Wallerstein	Brian Baird, Barbara Boxer, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Loretta Sanchez, Debbie Stabenow, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Lane Allen Evans, David Edward Bonior, Paul Wellstone, Bill Bradley, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Lynn N Rivers, Winston Bryant, Roxanne Qualls
Lawrence F O'Brien III	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Debbie Stabenow, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, David Edward Bonior, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5, Jim Maloney, Mike Ward
Stanley Sheinbaum	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, David Edward Bonior, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Bill Bradley, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, Democratic State Central Committee of CA - Federal, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5
David S Steiner	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, Paul Wellstone, Bill Bradley, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, Dick Zimmer, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5, Jim Maloney, Hispanic PAC USA Inc
Don Henley	Barbara Boxer, Maurice Dunlea Hinchey, John Kerry, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Paul Wellstone, George Edward Brown Jr, Bill Bradley, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Democratic State Central Committee of CA - Federal, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5, Sierra Club Political Committee
Paul Goldenberg	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, Paul Wellstone, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, Democratic State Central Committee of CA - Federal, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5, Hispanic PAC USA Inc, Pat Neal
Woody Kaplan	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Paul Wellstone, Bill Bradley, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5
Alan Solomont	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, James P McGovern, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Debbie Stabenow, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Lane Allen Evans, David Edward Bonior, Paul Wellstone, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5
Jeffrey Katzenberg	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Paul Wellstone, Bill Bradley, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, Democratic State Central Committee of CA - Federal, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5
Rob Reiner	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Paul Wellstone, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, Democratic State Central Committee of CA - Federal, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5
Steve Grossman	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Debbie Stabenow, John F Tierney, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Paul Wellstone, Bill Bradley, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5, Hispanic PAC USA Inc
David Geffen	Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, Patty Murray, Barack Obama, Loretta Sanchez, Brad Sherman, Debbie Stabenow, Mark Udall, Tom Udall, Paul Wellstone, Bill Bradley, Bill Clinton, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, DNC Non-Federal Unincorporated Association Account, Dscc Non-Federal Individuals, DCCC-E Non-Federal Account 5

Types	Person, Business Person
Gender	Male

David Gelbaum

Co-Founder of California hedge fund, Sierra Enterprises Group

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