U.S. billionaires donated more money last year than in the two years before, despite many losing money in their stock market investments.
Key Details
- The top 25 biggest givers in the U.S. have donated $196 billion over their lifetimes through the end of 2022, according to Forbes.
- That number is up $27 billion from the year before and nearly double the number given away in 2018.
- The amount has increased significantly, considering that billionaires have lost a lot of money in the past year.
- The 25 philanthropists are worth $939 billion, 15% less than the combined worth measured a year ago.
Why it’s news
The last year has been rough on American citizens as stocks tumbled and inflation caused prices of nearly everything to rise. Many people did not have as much money as the year before, including some of the U.S.’s richest people.
Despite the big drop in the fortune of the rich, they remained giving back. The top 25 biggest givers in the U.S. gave out more money last year than in both of the years before.
Forbes compiled a list of the top 25 U.S. philanthropists and how much more money they donated this year than the year before.
The top 15, according to Forbes…
- Warren Buffet change versus a year ago: + $5.4 billion
- Bill Gates & Melinda French Gates Foundation change versus a year ago: + $5 billion
- George Soros change versus. a year ago: + $300 million
- MacKenzie Scott Foundation change versus. a year ago: + $5.82 billion
- Michael Bloomberg change versus. a year ago: + $1.7 billion
- Charles Feeney no change
- Gordon & Betty Moore change versus a year ago: + $300 million
- Jim & Marilyn Simmons change versus a year ago: +$1.9 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan change versus a year ago: + $900 million
- Phil & Penny Knight change versus a year ago: + $270 million
- Edythe Broad & Family change versus a year ago: + $340 million
- Jeff Bezos change versus a year ago: + $690 million
- Steve & Connie Ballmer change versus a year ago: + $800 million
- Sergey Brin newcomer total given: $2.55 billion
- Lynn & Stacy Schusterman change versus a year ago: + $370 million
- Michael & Suan Dell change versus a year ago: + $177 million
- T. Denny Sanford no change
- Donald Bren change versus a year ago: + $470 million
- Dustin Moskovitz & Cari Tuna change versus a year ago: + $670 million
- Pierre & Pam Omidyar change versus a year ago + $170 million
- Charles Koch no change
- George Kaiser change versus a year ago: + $120 million
- Laura & John Arnold change versus a year ago: + $170 million
- Ken Griffin newcomer total given $1.56 billion
- Ted Turner change versus a year ago: + $2 million