The Chronicle’s 22nd annual ranking of America’s biggest donors features new faces such as Jared Isaacman, Austin Russell, and Mark and Robyn Jones. The now divorced Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates gave an eye-popping $15 billion to their foundation last year to take the top spot. All 50 donors combined contributed more than $33.4 billion.
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Big DonorsPhilanthropy 50
Search or browse this year’s list of America’s biggest donors and all the past lists going back to 2000. You can sort by name, amount donated, source of wealth, location, and top cause. -
Philanthropy 50
Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Elon Musk Top List of America’s 50 Biggest Charity Donors
A handful of Americans donated at least $1 billion to charity last year, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual ranking of the 50 Americans who gave the most to charity in 2021. -
Philanthropy 50
Our Annual Philanthropy 50: Top Donors Returned to Pre-Pandemic Causes in 2021
Despite the continuing Covid threat and racial-justice problems, the nation’s wealthiest donors have largely returned to old standbys — handing out big sums to universities, medicine, and their own foundations. But there are exceptions and some interesting new faces. -
Philanthropy 50
How a Truckdriver-Turned Harvard MBA Came to Give $101 Million for Nursing Education in Mont.
Mark and Robyn Jones believe their donation to Montana State University will have a bigger impact than if they had made a similar gift to Harvard Business School, where Mark earned an MBA. -
Philanthropy 50
Why a Young Billionaire Who Led Trip to Space Gave $125 Million to Children’s Hospital
When Jared Isaacman led the first all-civilian trip to space, he and his wife, Monica, donated $125 million to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital — and encouraged others to give as well. -
Philanthropy 50
26-Year-Old’s $70 Million Donation Puts Him on the List of Top Donors of 2021
Austin Russell, the founder of Luminar Technologies, determined that per capita philanthropic giving in Orlando lagged other cities. -
Philanthropy 50
2021’s Top Donors: ‘Forbes 400' and ‘Giving Pledge’ Billionaires Who Gave Big
Only 22 people on the 2021 Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans appear among this year’s Philanthropy 50 list. That could be a sign that many of the wealthiest people in America aren’t big givers -
Philanthropy 50
Top Donors’ Giving to and From Their Foundations and Donor-Advised Funds in 2021
Some of America’s biggest donors gave primarily to their foundations or donor-advised funds last year. Here is a sampling of how much those grant makers received and how much they gave to nonprofits in 2021. -
Philanthropy 50
2021’s Top Donors: Where They Live, Where They Give, and More
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. -
Philanthropy 50
How the Chronicle Compiled Its List of the Top 50 Donors of 2021
The 22nd annual Philanthropy 50, the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of America’s biggest donors, is based on gifts and pledges of cash, stock, land, and real estate to nonprofit organizations in 2021.
