March 2025

The philanthropists in the 25th annual list of America’s biggest donors gave a total of $16.2 billion in 2024.

The former New York City mayor gave $3.7 billion. Six donors on the list gave $1 billion or more. Plus, see the rest of our March issue, published online today.

The donor backlash and MacKenzie Scott’s no-strings giving didn’t sway the country’s biggest philanthropists.

A look at who gave the most and the trends that have shaped big philanthropy since 2000

Whether self-made or inheritors, they’re serious about giving today and are poised to shape philanthropy in the coming decades.

Much of the money went to social-services groups that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Some of America’s biggest donors gave primarily to their foundations

Only 19 individuals, couples, and families on the 2024 Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans appear on this year’s Philanthropy 50 list. That could be a sign that many of the wealthiest people in America aren’t big givers. But there are important caveats: Some billionaires don’t regularly…

Find out more about America’s 50 biggest donors: their ages, sources of wealth, where they live, and where they give. And see the entire Philanthropy 50 report featuring our analysis of the list and giving trends among megadonors.

A look at what gifts count toward the ranking — and why some big-name philanthropists aren’t on the list

An institute at Cal Poly Humboldt has hosted seed and plant exchanges, a program on the restoration of kelp forests, workshops on tuna canning and salve making, and more.

Corporate-giving strategists share what works in closing the deal on grants and other valuable types of support from companies.

The fundraising powerhouse uses every opportunity to let people know it accepts gifts from DAFs, and it tracks data carefully so it can make tailored appeals.

Trivial lawsuits and endless audits can quickly hinder nonprofits’ ability to operate. Foundations should ready their defenses.

As a young girl, the author found nonprofits often stereotyped her family. Now, as a journalist, she reports on how they can do better.

The Moral Majority’s long-game strategy offers a framework for fundraisers seeking sustainable success, regardless of their politics.