In 2024, Michael Bloomberg, 83, topped the Philanthropy 50 list for the second consecutive year as the American who donated the most to nonprofits. Last year, he donated $3.7 billion to various charitable causes, supporting the arts, education, public health groups, and city government improvement programs both directly and through Bloomberg Philanthropies.
One notable donation was a $1 billion grant to Johns Hopkins University to cover medical school costs for students. Bloomberg expressed his belief in giving away wealth during his lifetime to make a positive impact, stating, “I’ve been very lucky, and I’m determined to do what I can to open doors for others and leave a better world for my children and grandchildren.”
Joining Bloomberg in the top donors’ list were Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin, Michael and Susan Dell, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, and Ruth Gottesman, who all generously gave $1 billion or more to various causes. The collective donations from the top 50 donors amounted to $16.2 billion in 2024.
Thomas Golisano, founder of Paychex, was the eighth most generous donor, contributing $500 million, with a significant portion going to nonprofits supporting people with disabilities. K. Lisa Yang, the wife of Broadcom CEO Hock E. Tan, donated $74.5 million, mostly to MIT and Cornell University, with a notable donation to the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine’s Wildlife Center for wildlife conservation.
Venture capital investor Michele Kang donated $84 million in 2024, including $4 million to the USA Women’s Rugby team. The Philanthropy 50 list has been running for 25 years, with Warren Buffett holding the record for the most significant donations over that period.
Additionally, the article mentions other notable philanthropists like Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk, highlighting their substantial charitable contributions. Bezos committed $10 billion to the Bezos Earth Fund in 2021, while Musk has donated around $7 billion since 2020 through The Musk Foundation, supporting renewable energy research and education in science and engineering.
Overall, the Philanthropy 50 list showcases the generosity of individuals dedicated to making a positive impact through their charitable donations, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come.
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