The 25 most generous philanthropists in America today
25. Sheryl Sandberg
23. (TIE) Kenneth and Pamela Ricci
Source of wealth: Transportation
Total amount donated: $100,000,000
Biggest causes: University of Notre Dame
Source: Notre Dame News
23. (TIE) Agnes Gund
Source of wealth: Family wealth (banking)
Total amount donated: $100,000,000
Biggest causes: Art for Justice Fund, criminal justice reform, literacy organizations including Actors' Gang, the National Book Foundation, PEN America and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
Source: Inside Philanthropy
22. Joseph (Rusty) Walter III and Paula Walter
Source of wealth: Oil
Total amount donated: $101,000,000
Biggest causes: Houston Methodist Hospital for lifesaving treatments research and the hospital's transplant center
Source: Inside Philanthropy
21. Roberta Elliott
Source of wealth: Family wealth
Total amount donated: $105,800,000
Biggest causes: Montage Health Foundation and Northwestern University
Sources: The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Philanthropy News Digest
20. William and Linda Frost
Source of wealth: Chemicals
Total amount donated: $110,000,000
Biggest causes: California Polytechnic State University
Source: Los Angeles Times
19. Jay Shidler
Source of wealth: Real estate
Total amount donated: $117,000,000
Biggest causes: University of Hawaii at Manoa Shidler College of Business and Mākālei and Lē'ahi beach parks off Diamond Head in Hawaii
Source: Honolulu Magazine
18. T. Denny Sanford
Source of wealth: Finance
Total amount donated: $140,000,000
Biggest causes: Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Zoological Society of San Diego, National University in La Jolla, California, and Sanford Health Foundation
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
17. Porter Byrum
Source of wealth: Law and real estate
Total amount donated: $140,024,500
Biggest causes: Wake Forest University, Queens University in Charlotte, and Wingate University
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
16. David Geffen
Source of wealth: Entertainment
Total amount donated: $150,000,000
Biggest causes: David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Museum of Modern Art, Licoln Center, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, and funds areas of health, education, arts and culture, LGBT and the fight against AIDS
Source: Inside Philanthropy
15. Jack and Laura Dangermond
Source of wealth: Technology
Total amount donated: $165,000,000
Biggest causes: Nature Conservancy, Esri, donated GIS software to k-12 schools in the US
Source: Forbes
14. Larry and Beth Gies
Source of wealth: Finance
Total amount donated: $177,250,000
Biggest causes: University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign, Lucile Packard Foundation, Northwestern University, Gies Foundation, Huntington Disease Society, Sarcoidosis Foundation, and Misericordia Women's League
Source: Inside Philanthropy
13. Henry and Susan Samueli
Source of wealth: Telecommunications
Total amount donated: $200,000,000
Biggest causes: University of California at Irvine College of Health Services, Samueli Foundation and Broadcom Foundation funding areas include: health, education, youth services, social services, Jewish community, and Southern California community
Sources: UCI News, Inside Philanthropy
12. David Rockefeller
Source of wealth: Family wealth
Total amount donated: $202,000,000
Biggest causes: Council of Foreign Relations, Museum of Modern Art, Mount Desert Land & Garden Preserve, Americas Society
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
11. George Soros
Source of wealth: Finance
Total amount donated: $208,200,000
Biggest causes: Open Society Foundation — democratic ideals, humanitarian efforts, economic development, education, and policy reform
Source: Inside Philanthropy
10. Roy and Diana Vagelos
Source of wealth: Pharmaceuticals
Total amount donated: $250,000,000
Biggest causes: Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
9. Pierre and Pam Omidyar
Source of wealth: Technology
Total amount donated: $257,500,000
Biggest causes: Omidyar Network, Humanity United, Democracy Fund, First Look Media, and Hopelab
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
8. John and Laura Arnold
Source of wealth: Energy and finance
Total amount donated: $285,000,000
Biggest causes: Laura and John Arnold Foundation — education, scientific integrity, criminal justice, and public pensions
Source: Inside Philanthropy
7. Charles Butt
Source of wealth: Retail
Total amount donated: $290,000,000
Biggest causes: Holdsworth Center, The Charles Butt Foundation primarily funds grants towards education, cultural, and health institution with past grants for St. Mark's Episcopal Church, The Menil Collection, and Meadows mental Helath Policy Institute
Source: Inside Philanthropy
6. Florence Irving
Source of wealth: Food and beverage
Total amount donated: $680,000,000
Biggest causes: Columbia University Herbert and Florence Irving Medical Center, New York-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
5. Michael Bloomberg
Source of wealth: Media
Total amount donated: $702,000,000
Biggest causes: Arts, education, environment, public-health groups, and programs aimed at improving city governments around the world
Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
4. Henry Hillman
Source of wealth: Investments
Total amount donated: $850,000,000
Biggest causes: Hillman Family Foundation
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
3. Michael and Susan Dell
Source of wealth: Technology
Total amount donated: $1,000,000,000
Biggest causes: Michael and Susan Dell Foundation — children and family poverty in Central Texas, India, and South Africa; social enterprises and nonprofits for urban education and family economic stability
Source: Forbes
2. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan
Source of wealth: Technology
Total amount donated: $2,018,944,200
Biggest causes: Chan Zuckerberg Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Donor Advised Fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Sources: The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Forbes
1. Bill and Melinda Gates
Source of wealth: Technology
Total amount donated: $4,780,000,000
Biggest causes: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — enhance healthcare, reduce extreme poverty, expand educational opportunities
Source: Forbes
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