Financial News

These business titans are America's top philanthropists

Michael Bloomberg sits at the top of an annual list highlighting 50 of America's biggest donors which includes Nike founder Phil Knight and Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gained a new title. He became the biggest philanthropist of the year, donating $3 billion to support various causes throughout the world in 2023, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy. 

The Chronicle of Philanthropy calculates an annual list of 50 Americans who donated the largest sums to nonprofits and there were several notable names – from Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett to Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, that made the list in 2023. 

In total, they contributed $11.9 billion to charity throughout the year.

On an individual basis, Bloomberg surpassed them all with his donations supporting the arts, education, environment and public health. He also donated to programs aimed at improving city governments around the world. 

HOME DEPOT CO-FOUNDER BERNIE MARCUS REFLECTS ON A LIFE OF HELPING OTHERS

Still, Nike founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny, weren't far behind. They donated $1.24 billion of their fortune to support the University of Oregon and an ambitious poverty-fighting effort in Portland. 

Dell CEO Micheal Dell and his wife, Susan, gave nearly $976 million to their charitable funds, which work to distribute the gifts to an array of charities.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dell's fortune surpassed $100 billion, bringing within the top 13 richest people in the world. Knight's fortune sits at just over $40 billion, according to the index. 

FORMER GM CEO, HOME DEPOT CO-FOUNDER ARE DEEPLY INVESTED IN THIS PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVE
 

Meanwhile, Buffet, who is the 7th wealthiest person in the world, according to the index, donated approximately $893 million to organizations. 

Philanthropist Melinda French Gates donated over $249 million to various charities, placing her at number nine on the list. Bill Gates donated over $173 million, placing him 16th on the list. 

WARREN BUFFETT'S LIFE LESSONS TO HIS CHILDREN

Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg gave over $94 million, putting them at number 28.

To calculate the list, the Chronicle talked to dozens of nonprofits, philanthropists, and their representatives about large donations that were made public last year, in addition to donors who gave quietly.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

It looks into the gifts and pledges of cash, stock, land, and real estate to nonprofit organizations in 2023. 

Since major donates are not required to publicly disclose the details about their giving, some major donors may not appear on this list, according to the Chronicle. 

Data & News supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Stock quotes supplied by Barchart
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

Use the myMotherLode.com Keyword Search to go straight to a specific page

Popular Pages

  • Local News
  • US News
  • Weather
  • State News
  • Events
  • Traffic
  • Sports
  • Dining Guide
  • Real Estate
  • Classifieds
  • Financial News
  • Fire Info
Feedback