[analog31]

I don't think directly, but wealthy people occasionally "buy a building" at a university, or fund an endowed professorship.

[auntienomen]

Jim Simons did in fact fund Brookhaven national lab directly at one point. His foundations and friends continue to fund a variety of scientific endeavors. But we don't have too many scholar-turned-philanthropists around, unfortunately.

[SoftTalker]

Occasionally? It's very common. I guess for an individual wealthy person it might be occasional or a one-time thing.