Ken Griffin has opened his checkbook to South Florida. Here’s where his money has gone

Billionaire Citadel CEO Ken Griffin has been making his mark on Miami-Dade since moving the headquarters of his financial empire to Miami from Chicago in 2022.

He’s given tens of millions of dollars to local hospitals, Miami-Dade public schools and to groups bettering the community through parks and playing fields.

Last September, Griffin, 55, who was born in Daytona Beach, launched Griffin Catalyst. The nonprofit focuses on six philanthropic categories — education, science and medicine, communities, upward mobility, freedom and democracy and enterprise and innovation.

His most recent donation was a $2.1 million gift to Cristo Rey Miami High School in North Miami, a private Catholic college-preparatory school that opened two years ago and serves students with limited financial means. His donation will enable the school to grow to a four-year high school and expand its classrooms and labs, in addition to hiring more faculty and staff.

READ MORE: Ken Griffin just donated $2.1 million to a South Florida private school. What’s it for?

Here is a look at some of his other donations in South Florida:

▪ $50 million to go toward research and developing new cancer treatments at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The donation was in March.

Ken Griffin, Citadel CEO, center, talks with Dr. Julio Frenk, president of UM, and Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava after a ceremony celebrating Griffin giving $50 million to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami. Sylvester will name a new building after him, the Kenneth C. Griffin Cancer Research Building.

▪ $50 million to Baptist Health South Florida to research and develop treatments for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders. The gift, announced in March, was the largest single gift in Baptist’s nearly 65-year history.

▪ $25 million to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to fund a 5-story surgical tower that will be named after him. The donation was in January 2023.

▪ $9 million to Miami-Dade County Public Schools to expand intensive math tutoring in grades sixth to eighth. The donation was in April.

▪ $5 million to Miami’s Underline, a 10-mile linear park of paved cycling and walking trails now under construction beneath Miami’s elevated Metrorail line. The gift was in December 2021.

Ken Griffin, Citadel founder and CEO, at center, applauds Friends of the Underline founder and CEO Meg Daly, second from right, during a groundbreaking ceremony at the University Metrorail Station for the third and final phase of The Underline linear park. Griffin gave $5 million toward the project.

▪ $5 million to build 50 “mini-pitches” across Miami-Dade County as part of a plan by the U.S. Soccer Foundation to increase opportunities for children in local “underresourced” communities to play soccer. The gift was in March 2023.