Michael Bloomberg Dominates Philanthropy Rankings for Third Straight Year
For the third consecutive year, Michael Bloomberg has secured the top position on the Chronicle of Philanthropy's exclusive Philanthropy 50 list, which ranks America's biggest donors. The founder of Bloomberg financial-news empire and former New York mayor donated an impressive $4.3 billion in 2025 to support a wide array of causes including arts, education, environmental initiatives, public health programs, and efforts to improve city governance.
Billionaire Donors Follow Close Behind
Following Bloomberg on the prestigious list are three other major philanthropists who each contributed $1 billion or more to charitable causes last year. Bill Gates claimed the second spot with $3.7 billion donated to the Gates Foundation, while the late Paul Allen, former Microsoft colleague, secured third place through a $3.1 billion bequest establishing a foundation focused on science and technology. Warren Buffett donated $1.3 billion to four family foundations supporting various charitable initiatives.
The collective impact of these philanthropists is substantial, with all 50 donors on the list contributing a total of $22.4 billion to charity in 2025. The median gift among these major donors was $105 million, highlighting the significant scale of their philanthropic commitments.
Wealth Sources and Geographic Distribution
The financial industry served as the primary source of wealth for most donors featured on the list, with 20 philanthropists from this sector giving a combined $4.1 billion. Technology followed closely with 12 donors contributing $10 billion, while real estate saw four donors provide $466.7 million in charitable gifts.
Geographically, New York and California emerged as the states with the highest concentration of major donors, and nonprofits based in these states received the largest share of philanthropic gifts. This distribution reflects both the concentration of wealth in these regions and the philanthropic priorities of their residents.
Personal Motivations Drive Philanthropic Giving
For many donors, philanthropy represents more than just financial contributions—it provides profound personal meaning and purpose. Jon and Mindy Gray, ranked 34th with $63.6 million in donations, primarily support research on inherited cancers related to BRCA mutations, a cause deeply personal to them after Mindy's sister died of BRCA-related ovarian cancer at age 44. They also focus on empowering young people in New York City through initiatives like the Gray Scholars program, which provides scholarships to 10 New York City students annually to attend historically Black colleges and universities.
"We're very hands-on people—we enjoy it," Mindy Gray explains. "Other people often come to us and say, 'I want to do something, but what should I do?' And it really is what you feel in your heart. You should not be doing this work in areas that don't move you."
Not All Wealthy Americans Prioritize Major Giving
Despite the substantial contributions highlighted on the Philanthropy 50 list, relatively few of America's wealthiest individuals engage in philanthropy at this scale. Only 19 of the richest Americans featured on the Forbes 400 list donated enough to qualify for this year's rankings. Notably absent from the list is high-profile philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who has donated approximately $26 billion to charities since 2020. While Scott likely made gifts through donor-advised funds that would have earned her a ranking position, she and her representatives declined to provide specific information about her charitable distributions.
Lesser-Known Philanthropists Making Significant Impact
Not all donors on the Chronicle's list attract widespread media attention for their giving. Several lesser-known philanthropists made substantial contributions in 2025:
- Robert and Karen Hale (No. 25): The Granite Telecommunications founder and his wife donated nearly $111 million to dozens of nonprofits they have supported for years, including a $100 million gift to Boston Children's Hospital and additional contributions to education, human-service, social-justice, and youth organizations throughout the greater Boston area.
- James and Patricia Anderson (No. 39): The automotive consultant and his wife gave $50 million to Wayne State University, his alma mater, along with more than $8 million to charities serving elderly individuals and people with special needs.
- Melanie and Richard Lundquist (No. 42): These Los Angeles real estate investors, longtime supporters of Southern California nonprofits, primarily backed health care and public schools. Their contributions included a $50 million donation to Torrance Memorial Medical Center and $3 million to organizations assisting cancer patients and young people.
Long-Term Relationships Drive Major Donations
While these billionaires and millionaires give away enormous sums, their motivations often mirror those of everyday donors. They are drawn to organizations that seek their input, understand their passions, welcome collaboration, and maintain effective programs. Most importantly, they tend to support people and charities they have known and trusted for years, if not decades.
The Chronicle's research revealed that more than 35 of the 51 donors on the list maintained long-term relationships, typically lasting five to ten years or more, with the charities that received their largest 2025 contributions.
"It's about building relationships," explains Jeff Schreifels, a fundraising consultant at Veritus Group who works with both large and small charities. "It's being that bridge between the donor and their desire to change the world and matching that up with everything that the nonprofit does. That's what everyone is trying to do."
Diverse Causes Benefit from Philanthropic Support
Foundations, donor-advised funds created by the donors themselves, and educational institutions were the primary recipients of last year's major gifts. However, donors also supported a remarkably diverse range of causes:
- Science and Technology: Received more than $3 billion, including Paul Allen's substantial bequest and a $60 million donation supporting the quantitative science program at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.
- Health Care and Medical Research: Benefited from $1.5 billion in total contributions, including a $500 million donation from Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife Penny for cancer research and treatment, numerous eight- and nine-figure gifts supporting pediatric health care, and two significant donations for dementia research and care.
- Athletics: Received $871 million in total support, featuring two separate $300 million donations for university athletics programs and a $100 million gift providing financial aid to Olympic athletes.
The Philanthropy 50 list demonstrates that while the scale of giving may be extraordinary, the fundamental motivations behind philanthropy—personal connection, trusted relationships, and passion for specific causes—remain consistent across donors of all levels. As these major philanthropists continue to shape the charitable landscape, their contributions highlight the significant role private giving plays in addressing societal challenges and supporting vital institutions across multiple sectors.
