These Are the Biggest Donors in the US

Jezz Bezos and ex MacKenzie Scott top the list
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 14, 2021 7:30 AM CST
The Top 15 Donors in the US
MacKenzie Scott, formerly Bezos, is No. 2 on the list.   (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

These are the donors who gave the most in 2020, according to the Philanthropy 50, an annual ranking compiled by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, per the AP. A searchable database with more information on the donors and their beneficiaries is available at philanthropy.com.

  1. Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder, $10.2 billion; biggest gift: $10 billion to Bezos Earth Fund
  2. MacKenzie Scott, author and ex-wife of Jeff Bezos, $5.7 billion; biggest gift: various
  3. Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg financial news company, $1.6 billion; biggest gift: various
  4. Philip and Penelope Knight, Nike co-founder and wife, $1.4 billion; biggest gift: $900.7 million to Knight Foundation
  5. Jack Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of Twitter and Square, $1.1 billion; biggest gift: Donor-advised funds

  1. John and Laura Arnold, retired hedge-fund manager and wife, $567 million; biggest gift: $482 million to Laura and John Arnold Foundation
  2. Eric and Wendy Schmidt, former Google CEO and wife, $469.6 million; biggest gift: $335.3 million to Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation
  3. Pierre and Pam Omidyar, founder of eBay and wife, $441 million; biggest gift: various
  4. Frederick and June Kummer, construction magnate (Frederick) and architect (June), $300 million; biggest gift: $300 million to Kummer Institute Foundation
  5. Denny Sanford, banker, $224.2 million; biggest gift: various
  6. Stephen Ross, real-estate developer, $179.5 million; biggest gift: $100 million to University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
  7. John and Susan Sobrato, real-estate developers, $176.8 million; biggest gift: $135.2 million to Sobrato Foundation at Silicon Valley Community Foundation
  8. Bill and Melinda Gates, Microsoft co-founder and wife, $157 million (estimated); biggest gift: Estimated $157 million to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  9. Reed Hastings and Patty Quillin, Netflix co-founder and wife, $151 million; biggest gifts: $40 million each to Morehouse and Spelman colleges and United Negro College Fund
  10. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook chief operating officer, $122.8 million; biggest gift: $63 million to the Sandberg Goldberg Charitable Support Fund
Read the full list of 50 here.
(More philanthropy stories.)

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