As one of the richest countries in the world, the US is home to nearly 700 billionaires and the accumulated wealth of the top 1 percent of the population reached US$45.9 trillion at the end of the fourth quarter of 2021. by the Federal Reserve. Despite various economic disruptions due to the pandemic, the top earners still managed to add more than US$12 trillion to their wealth, with the proceeds donated to various charities. A total of US$169 billion was lost to the country’s humanitarian efforts during the period. Throughout the life of the donor

According to Forbes, at the top of the pack is Warren Buffett, who gave US$4.1 billion to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the foundation set up by his late wife and three children. Jeff Bezos is closely followed by his ex-wife McKenzie Scott, who is widely known for her philanthropy and has given US$5.8 billion to more than 500 different groups across the United States. Other notable donors include George Soros, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Bloomberg, and Charles Feeney.

Here Are the Top 10 Philanthropists in the US

Warren Buffet

With accumulated lifetime giving of US$46.1 billion, Nan Omar pledged more than 99 percent of his wealth and is possibly the greatest philanthropist of all time. Most of his donations have been given to the foundation of his close friends Bill and Melinda French Gates. About US$2 billion to US$3 billion worth of stocks from Berkshire Hathaway each year goes to the foundation, which works on poverty and health care initiatives in developing countries and education in the US. In addition, he co-founded The Giving Pledge with the Gates and has given billions of dollars to charities founded by his family members.

Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates

The Bill Gates and Melinda Gates Foundation was the main vehicle for the former couple’s philanthropic efforts. Despite ending their 27-year marriage, the two are co-chairmen of the foundation they founded in 2000. In 2020, the foundation awarded US$5.8 billion in grants and this money was used for research and development of a vaccine for Covid-19. . Additionally, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has supported 20,000 low-income students in the US with university scholarships and worked to improve sanitation in developing countries.

George Soros

The billionaire’s Open Society Foundations fund a range of causes that have a social impact, such as journalism, justice reform, human rights, and economic injustice. Last year in April 2021, George Soros pledged US$500 million to the endowment of Bard College, a 2,400-student liberal arts institution just north of New York City. Also announced last year, the Open Society Foundations is restructuring “how to confront the problems of the moment,” citing the rise of authoritarianism in today’s society as a primary concern.

Michael Bloomberg

With a focus on climate change, gun safety, and public health, Michael Bloomberg founded Bloomberg Philanthropies to address emerging issues. The former mayor of New York City and co-founder of Bloomberg has donated more than $12 billion to charities, and last year he donated $1.6 billion. Following the George Floyd protests, Bloomberg Philanthropies pledged US$100 million to fund four historically black medical institutions. Additionally, in December 2021, Bloomberg pledged another US$700 million over the next five years to support charter schools in 20 metro areas around the US.

MacKenzie Scott

Not one to openly advertise her donations, MacKenzie Scott wants the nonprofit’s work to speak for itself. Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife inherited a huge fortune after her divorce from the billionaire and has since been active in putting the money to good use. So far, it has donated at least US$8.6 billion in less than two years to more than 700 groups that focus on a variety of racial justice, gender equality, and public health issues. Although Scott does not share the details of her donations, she chronicles her philanthropic journey on the online publishing platform Medium, but still, people criticize the lack of transparency in her efforts. And so, Scott said she would share more information and revealed she would set up a website with a searchable database of gifts.

Charles Feeney

Charles Feeney takes his philanthropic efforts to extremes as he specifically states that dying has a higher purpose. The co-founder of Duty Free Shoppers, a retail chain founded in Hong Kong in the 1960s, has donated nearly US$8 billion to causes as diverse as education, youth and human rights. In what began as an undercover operation to donate his wealth, Fannie’s identity was revealed and his act later inspired Warren Buffett and the Gateses to launch The Giving Pledge in 2010. . Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies after giving away its last assets.

George and Betty Moore

George Moore, co-founder and longtime CEO of technology giant Intel, started a foundation with his wife in 2000, funding it with gifts of Intel stock. The couple has amassed a lifetime net worth of US$5.5 billion. In 2021, the Moore Foundation joined hands with others such as Jeff Bezos’ Earth Fund and Bloomberg Philanthropies to pledge US$5 billion over the next 10 years to support biodiversity. The pledge is said to aim to ensure that at least 30 percent of the planet’s most important biodiversity hotspots are protected by the end of the decade, according to Forbes.

Jim and Marilyn Simons

A good education is one of the ways that a person can get out of poverty. Focusing on this aspect are Jim and Marilyn Simons, who are staunch supporters of the cause. Jim focused his efforts on funding STEM research while his wife, Marilyn, founded the Simons Foundation, a math-championing nonprofit that supports math and science teachers. Additionally, the foundation also supports life sciences research such as the Autism Research Initiative.

Phil Knight and Family

Much of the wealth that Phil Knight has amassed comes from Nike, one of the most famous high-street fashion brands. Not much has been disclosed by the billionaire but he is said to have donated to three universities: the University of Oregon, Oregon Health and Science University, and Stanford University. This amount is estimated to be US$1.9 billion and in July 2021, Knight and his wife donated US$500 million to expand the University of Oregon’s scientific research campus.

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan

The Meta founder and his wife are on the list with their philanthropic and advocacy organization “The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative” (CZI). Both have supported education and criminal justice reform, as well as scientific and medical research. The couple is said to have given away around US$3 billion so far. Additionally, at the end of 2021, CZI said there will be a new US$3.4 billion initiative over the next ten years focused on measuring and analyzing biological processes in the human body. With this move, the organization will leverage cutting-edge technologies such as AI and machine learning to complement advances in the fields of biology and medicine.