Jennifer Buffett

Jennifer Buffett is Co-Chair of the NoVo Foundation, a philanthropic organization. She is responsible for the strategic direction of NoVo and chairs its Grants Committee. She shares leadership of the foundation with her husband, composer and producer Peter Buffett. NoVo is based in New York and its 2023 granting exceeded $169 million.

In September 2008, Jennifer and Peter received the Clinton Global Citizen Award for their “visionary leadership and sustainable, scalable work in solving pressing global challenges.” Presenting the award to the Buffetts, Former President Bill Clinton said, “The Buffetts are leading an inspirational campaign to improve the status of women and girls across the globe. Their innovative approach to philanthropy has leveraged the capacity of existing organizations to affect real, positive change.”

Among various investments Ms. Buffett has guided at NoVo are a $30 million, five-year program with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to help rebuild education and vocational systems and end violence against women and girls in post-conflict West Africa. NoVo also partners with the Nike Foundation on a $100 million granting partnership entitled “the girl effect,” which is focused on testing and spreading successful models of economic empowerment for adolescent girls in the developing world. Ms. Buffett’s other efforts at NoVo include capacity building for Women for Women International, a recipient of the Hilton Prize for Humanitarian Organizations that helps women in war-torn countries rebuild their lives and if possible, become leaders in their communities. While the NoVo Foundation is dedicated to ending violence against girls and women and to the empowerment of girls and women, it also aims to advance social emotional learning (SEL) competencies and practice. SEL increases children’s sense of well being and social and emotional skills, which leads to improved academic performance and a better chance for success in life and relationships.

Jennifer’s work in philanthropy began in 1997 when her in-laws, Susan and Warren Buffett, placed Jennifer and Peter in charge of a charitable fund. Her early work was focused primarily on the environment, the arts, and social services in Wisconsin. During this time, Jennifer helped launch the Wisconsin Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Association to advance practice and policy around healthy social emotional development for young children. In 2006, Warren Buffett sparked a major increase in the foundation’s assets with a pledge of $1 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock, and the Buffetts commenced a strategic planning process that led to the focus on women and girls.

Jennifer completed her undergraduate studies in journalism and communications at the University of Wisconsin. She is a Board member of the Nike Foundation and serves on the International Center for Research on Women Leadership Council.