America’s Most Charitable Donors: Part 4

Philanthropy in the United States has taken on countless shapes, forms, and mediums over the years, and in an increasingly digital and equitable macro landscape, these values have arguably never been more accessible and far-reaching. As a result, today’s leading charitable donors have more channels than ever through which to benefit their desired causes. The fruits of these efforts are more than evident in retrospective philanthropic analyses and year-end reports like the Philanthropic 50, which showcase some of the community’s most noteworthy and impactful figures. 

Continuing from part three, here is one more look at several of America’s most influential philanthropic leaders. 

Bill Gates

No US philanthropy list would be complete without the ongoing contributions of Bill Gates. A long-time proponent of philanthropic initiatives, the storied technological innovator continues to champion causes ranging from gender equality and global healthcare to US education. Gates contributed $173,000 to such causes in 2023 through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recently vowing to donate “virtually all” of his lifetime wealth to the foundation to aid its most ambitious endeavors. 

Diana and Roy Vagelos

For years, retired Merck & Company Chairman Roy Vagelos and his wife Diana have aided causes predominantly housed and operated by leading US educational institutions. Last year, the couple donated $175,000 to Columbia University to launch the Vagelos Institute for Biomedical Research Education. The majority of these contributions focused on establishing an endowment for student research within the University’s biomedical doctorate programs – while $50 million of them went to training for physician-scientists in biology and clinical medicine fundamentals. 

Eric and Wendy Schmidt

Another noteworthy philanthropic couple, Eric and Wendy Schmidt in 2023 leveraged their considerable wealth to benefit various causes and nonprofits based, in part, on human rights advocacy, community development, marine science and conservation, and climate change mitigation. Much of the couple’s work to date has focused on their numerous initiatives and funds, which include the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation, the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and the Schmidt Family Foundation. The Schmidts’ 2023 contributions totaled $306,300,000. 

The individuals featured throughout this series embody both the inherent urgency of present charitable action and the progressive foresight to innovate for the future; they remain a beacon of inspiration for rising philanthropists of all walks, experience levels, and causes.

(Be sure to also visit parts one and two for other top US philanthropists.)