The contributions of America’s great philanthropists keep on rising. Over their lifetimes, the 25 wealthiest individuals in the country have given a total of $169 billion to charitable organizations. This is up from last year’s total of $143 billion. This article lists notable individuals who have made significant contributions throughout their careers.
Warren Buffet
Due to his goal of giving away 99% of his wealth, Warren Buffett is regarded as the most prominent philanthropist in the world. Most of his $46 billion giving went to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on improving the lives of children and developing countries. In 2010, he co-founded The Giving Pledge, a movement that encourages individuals to give back to charitable organizations. He has also given billions to four organizations his late wife and children established.
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates
Despite their separation last year, the pair continue co-chairing their foundation, which is the vehicle for their philanthropy. According to Forbes, the couple’s donations continue to count as a total of $46 billion. In 2020, the foundation made a grant of $5.8 billion, which included the funding of vaccines and research for Covid-19. Since 2007, the grantmaking by the foundation has been split between the Gateses and Warren Buffett.
George Soros
Through his Open Society Foundations, George Soros has been able to support various causes, such as economic equity, human rights, and journalism. In April 2021, he gave $500 million to Bard College, a liberal arts university he has known for a long time. In June that year, the organization announced a reshuffling of its board to address the rising threat of authoritarianism worldwide.
Michael Bloomberg
Since becoming the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg has been able to support various charitable organizations. He has spent over $12 billion on multiple causes through his Bloomberg Philanthropies. For instance, he has spent over $1 billion on programs to curb tobacco use. In 2018, he announced he would donate $1.8 billion to Johns Hopkins University. Following the protests against the George Floyd incident in 2020, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced that it would donate $100 million to four historically black medical schools.
MacKenzie Scott
The nonprofit community regularly follows Scott’s updates on Medium. She is the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon. Since her divorce from Bezos, she has been able to give away more of her wealth faster than any other billionaire. In less than two years, Scott has given away over $8.6 billion to over 780 organizations. She has focused on various causes, such as gender equality and racial justice.