Amount donated in 2010: $100-million

Beneficiary: University of California at San Francisco Children’s Hospital

Donors’ background: Mr. Benioff founded Salesforce.com, a technology company in San Francisco.

Mr. Benioff, 46, and his wife, Lynne, pledged $100-million to the University of California at San Francisco Children’s Hospital for a new building, to be named for the couple. The Benioffs have paid $50-million toward their pledge and plan to pay the remaining $50-million over the next five years.

Mr. Benioff wrote in a statement that while the couple has been donating anonymously to a variety of causes, they decided in 2010 to focus all of their giving in the coming years on the children’s hospital.

“This is where we believe our time and resources will make the most impact in the next decade and beyond,” wrote Mr. Benioff, who noted the couple’s goal is to make the new medical institution the most advanced children’s hospital in the world. He said they decided to attach their name to this gift to encourage other entrepreneurs to donate large amounts to causes important to them.

The Benioffs’ daughter was born at the hospital, and Ms. Benioff serves on the hospital foundation’s board.

— Maria Di Mento

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