Of course, it is unlikely that you would earn such a bonus in cash. Earning it through capital appreciation on your zero cost founders shares is a more likely scenario. Regardless of how you might rationalize it, it really isn't all that painful. Many would agree that the sharing of some new- found wealth with worthwhile causes is a very admirable deed. Our American friends understand this.
Statistics show that they are more generous in altruistic terms.
It goes beyond generosity, though. High technology entrepreneurs know that research and higher education are the lifeblood of their enterprises. Sustaining this valuable resource makes good business sense. Thanks to even more favorable tax breaks in the U.S. which, unlike Canada, encourage donations to private foundations, Bill Gates has created the largest foundation in that country by gifting appreciated stock. Counting on government alone to address these issues won't work.