Spotlighting Some of America’s Most Charitable Donors - Pt. 3

Today’s fast-paced and increasingly progressive society warrants philanthropic action more than ever – especially as more issues and overarching shifts demand necessary change. Thankfully, the United States sees countless distinguished leaders and innovators raise the bar for charitable contributions annually, inspiring others to follow suit.

Continuing from part two, here are several other top charitable donors from the US.

Ken and Elaine Langone

Sporting a net worth of $8.8 billion in 2024, Ken Langone has leveraged his immense wealth for charitable good throughout his career. Most recently, the Home Depot co-founder and venture capital investor earned a spot on the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s “Philanthropy 50” list alongside his wife, Elaine, for their total giving of $225,000,000 in 2023. Namely, the couple donated $200 million to the NYU Long Island School of Medicine, which guaranteed full-tuition scholarships to all enrolled students regardless of need. 

Arthur Blank

Arthur Blank, another co-founder of Home Depot, gave $117,300,000 to various causes in 2023, landing him in the 21st spot on the Philanthropy 50. Blank’s contribution came primarily through the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, which donated to In Her Hands, an initiative guaranteeing income over three years to 200 female residents of Atlanta’s English Avenue and Vine City communities; the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta; the National Alliance on Mental Health, and the Georgia BRIGHT program, which aids homeowners making less than $100,000 lease solar systems via the Capital Good Fund. 

Tim Springer and Chafen Lu

Another prominent philanthropic couple, Tim Springer and Chafen Lu are established charitable figures due to their contributions to causes associated with biomedical research, protein science innovation, and immunology (among other key concentrations). Such initiatives include but are not limited to, the Institute for Protein Innovation and the biomedical research institute Springer co-founded in 2017 alongside prominent scientist and professor Andrew Kruse. For these actions, Springer and Lu earned the 13th spot on last year’s Philanthropy 50 list. 

Jay Kahn 

Jay Kahn, who placed 23rd on the Philanthropy 50, is one of the ongoing program's few posthumous entries. Before passing away in 2022, Kahn donated the entirety of his estate to the San Diego Foundation – a sum of over $100 million. This contribution included unrestricted grants for music education nonprofits to aid under-resourced children in the San Diego area, reflecting both Kahn’s lifelong passion for music and giving back to his community.