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The 10 biggest charitable donations in the past decade
The 10 biggest charitable donations in the past decade
Lara Walsh,Lara WalshNov 17, 2018, 00:23 IST
AP Photo/Manuel Balce CenetaMark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan made many large donations over the years.In 2017, America's most generous philanthropists collectively donated $14.7 billion to non-profit organizations, making it the biggest year for charitable giving since 2008.
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According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, it's likely that the giving trends of 2017 - characterized by a slew of younger philanthropists in the tech industry who are giving away big gifts while continuing to amass wealth - will continue in future years.
With the end of 2018 approaching, here's a refresher on the individuals who have made the biggest donations over the past decade, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy data.
As a note, these are the individuals who made the largest lump sum donations that year - not necessarily the ones who donated the most throughout the year.
Leona M. Helmsley gave the biggest donation in 2008.
Leona Helmsley, who was formerly the head of the Helmsley Hotel Chain, passed away in August 2007. In her will, she bequeathed all of her assets (just over $5 billion) to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, which she founded in 1999.
In 2009, Stanley F. and Fiona B. Druckenmiller made the biggest donation.
Stanley F. and Fiona B. Druckenmiller, the founder of Duquesne Capital Management and the former Dreyfus Corporation investment portfolio manager respectively, gifted their Druckenmiller Foundation with a collective $705 million.
Their foundation works to support medical research, education, and poverty-fighting initiatives.
2010’s biggest donation was by an anonymous donor.
An anonymous graduate of Baylor University pledged approximately $200 million to the university to support a variety of programs and research.
Upon his or her death, the donor wished for the money to establish a private foundation that will give Baylor the funds.
In 2011, the biggest donation was $265 million.
William S. Dietrich II, the former chairman of Dietrich Industries, pledged $265 million to Carnegie Mellon University for use towards various academic programs.
Warren Buffet made the three biggest donations in 2012.
In 2012, the investment and insurance maven pledged stocks worth $1,027,773,653 to each of his three children's charitable foundations.
Peter Buffett's NoVo Foundation works to combat the structural and social inequalities facing women, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation works toward ending hunger, and Susan Buffett's Sherwood Foundation works to support social justice and youth education.
Buffett's three donations amounted to over $3 billion and were each one of 2012's biggest charitable gifts.
In 2013, Mark Zuckerberg made the biggest donation.
Facebook's CEO and chairman, Mark Zuckerberg, donated 18 million shares of Facebook to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in 2013. He also gave the same number of shares, which were valued at about $992 million, to the foundation in 2012.
Mark Zuckerberg's gift to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation is valued at $992,160,000.
In 2014, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. was the biggest donor.
The late owner of the Buffalo Bills football team, Ralph C. Wilson Jr., bequeathed $1 billion to the Ralph Wilson foundation upon his death in March 2014.
In 2015, the biggest donation was bequeathed by John Santikos.
Upon his death in December 2014, John Santikos gave about $605 million to the San Antonio Area Foundation to found the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation. The trust supports the local community and maintenance of public spaces as well as art and culture, healthcare, and medical research.
The biggest donation in 2016 was tied between Philip and Penelope Knight's and Nicolas Berggruen's donation.
Nike co-founder Philip Knight and his wife, Penelope Knight, pledged $500 million to the University of Oregon to be paid over 10 years.
The art collector and investor Nicolas Berggruen donated $500 million that year to the Berggruen Institute in Los Angeles, which hosts conferences where individuals can come together to discuss political policy as well as social issues.
The biggest donation in 2017 was by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan.
In 2017, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan gifted stock valued at about $1,856,575,000 to the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation in Palo Alto, California. The foundation focuses on promoting equal opportunity and advancing human potential.