From Fortune:

In 2023, The Chronicle of Philanthropy revealed that the 11 largest individual or foundation donations totaled over $3.5 billion. Eight of the donors have a combined net worth of $305.1 billion, with Warren Buffett leading the list with a $541.5 million donation to the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. The Simons family was second on the list with a $500 million contribution to the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Ross Brown, the founder of Cryogenic Industries, pledged $400 million to the California Institute of Technology, while Nike cofounder Phil Knight and his wife made a $400 million pledge to the 1803 Fund for the revival of the Albina neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. Daniel and Jennifer Gilbert gave $375 million through their Gilbert Family Foundation to Henry Ford Health to build two medical centers. Financier Kenneth Griffin gave $300 million to back financial aid and other programs at Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and he partnered with David Geffen to provide $400 million to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

The gifts reflect a trend among major donors to support scientific research, higher education, and health care to address pressing societal issues. The Chronicle’s annual rankings are based on publicly announced gifts from individuals and their foundations and do not include contributions of artwork or anonymous donors. In March, the publication will unveil its annual ranking of the 50 biggest donors based on philanthropists’ total contributions in 2023.



Read more: Warren Buffett’s $541 million gift to his foundation topped the list of supersized charitable donations in 2023