Children’s Minnesota Receives Historic $35 Million Gift from Tom Golisano to Advance Pediatric Medicine

MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Children’s Minnesota announced a historic $35 million gift from entrepreneur, philanthropist and civic leader Tom Golisano. The gift is believed to be the largest of its kind toward pediatric health in Minnesota and will help the health system accelerate a bold, systemwide vision for the future of pediatric medicine.

Children’s Minnesota will become a member of the Golisano Children’s Alliance, a national network of 21 children’s hospitals focused on advancing pediatric care through collaboration, shared learning and innovation. The health system will name its Minneapolis campus as the Children’s Minnesota Golisano Campus in honor of the gift. Children’s Minnesota remains an independent, freestanding nonprofit and the only one in the state dedicated exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood.

“This historic gift is an investment that will improve the lives of children and families facing some of the most complex health challenges,” said Emily Chapman, MD, president and CEO of Children’s Minnesota. “At Children’s Minnesota, we see every day how rapidly medicine is advancing and how important it is for children to have access to the most promising therapies close to home. Tom Golisano’s extraordinary generosity will help us bring the next generation of care to the children and families we serve.”

Mr. Golisano’s gift will support a multi-year journey to build the infrastructure, expertise, and access needed to bring precision medicine and other innovative approaches to care to more children and families closer to home. These therapies — including gene and cell therapies, regenerative medicine and other advances — are changing what is possible in pediatric care. Powered by precision medicine, they can help prevent or cure diseases once considered lifelong, match treatment to a child’s unique genomic and molecular profile, and shift more care from inpatient settings to convenient outpatient care.

“As a father and grandfather, I've seen firsthand what it means for a family to have a great children's hospital close to home in a difficult moment,” said Tom Golisano. “My hope is that no family, no matter where they live or what they can afford, has to travel far or wonder if their child will get the best care available.”

“We are profoundly grateful to Tom Golisano for recognizing the extraordinary work happening at Children’s Minnesota and investing in what is possible for children and families,” said Jenny Soderholm, senior vice president, chief development officer and president of the Children’s Minnesota Foundation. “This historic gift reflects tremendous confidence in our people, our mission and our future, and it will help us build a new era of pediatric care for generations to come.”

About Tom Golisano

Tom Golisano—entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader—is the founder of Paychex, Inc., the nation’s largest human resource company for small to medium-sized businesses. Mr. Golisano’s vision, perseverance, and action have left an indelible mark on a broad spectrum of issues that touch our lives in business, healthcare, education, animal welfare, voter policies, politics, and tax reform. His investments are advancing entrepreneurship and driving the success of numerous businesses and start-ups. His philanthropic contributions to education, hospitals—including multiple children’s hospitals across the country that bear his name—and numerous other organizations exceed $1 billion.

A fierce advocate for dignity and inclusion, in 1985 Tom Golisano applied his pioneering spirit to establish the Golisano Foundation to make the world a better place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With more than $120 million in gross assets, it is one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. devoted to supporting programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities awarding grants to non-profit organizations in Western New York and Southwest Florida.

In 2025, Mr. Golisano launched the Golisano Children’s Alliance, a national initiative that provides strategic funding and brings together children’s hospitals across the United States to elevate pediatric care by expanding services, strengthening collaboration, and ensuring that children and families have access to the highest quality medical attention close to home. Together, Alliance members are building a nationally recognized network that exemplifies excellence, dignity, and innovation in pediatric healthcare.

About Children’s Minnesota

Children’s Minnesota is one of the largest pediatric health systems in the United States and the only one in Minnesota devoted exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system for more than 100 years, Children’s Minnesota offers more than 100 pediatric specialties through its two hospitals, nine primary care clinics, seven rehabilitation and eight specialty care sites throughout the Twin Cities metro area. The Kid Experts® at Children’s Minnesota are chosen by more families than any other pediatric health system in the region.