American Greed

America's Top Charitable Donors of 2010

America's Top Philanthropists

Despite more than 50 billionaires announcing last year they would devote at least half of their wealth to charity, few made big gifts in 2010, according to a new ranking of the in America by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.The three biggest names in philanthropy—Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett—don’t appear in the rankings because the money they gave in 2010 ($46.4 million and $1.9 billion, respectively) was to pay off pledges announced in previous years. The list includes only new pledg
Photo: David Gould | Photographer's Choice RF | Getty Images

Despite more than 50 billionaires announcing last year they would devote at least half of their wealth to charity, few made big gifts in 2010, according to a new ranking of the 50 most-generous donors in America by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

The three biggest names in philanthropy—Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett—don’t appear in the rankings because the money they gave in 2010 ($46.4 million and $1.9 billion, respectively) was to pay off pledges announced in previous years. The list includes only new pledges and gifts.

While many of the donors on the list are prominent philanthropists, few of them are the richest people in America. Of the 400 wealthiest Americans ranked by Forbes magazine, only 17 appeared on this year’s list of the most-generous donors.

Click ahead to see 2010's top 10 U.S. philanthropists, as ranked by The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

By Constance Parten, Senior Producer
Posted 14 Feb. 2011

Watch American Greed's A Most Generous Criminal, premiering Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 10p | 1a ET.

10. (tied) Mark Zuckerberg

Amount donated: $100 millionBeneficiary: Startup: EducationDonor’s background: Mr. Zuckerberg co-founded the social-networking Web site, Facebook, in Palo Alto, Calif.Mr. Zuckerberg, 26, has pledged $100-million worth of Facebook stock to establish his foundation, Startup: Education, which he plans to donate over five years.
Photo: Getty Images

Amount donated: $100 million

Beneficiary: Startup: Education

Donor’s background: Mr. Zuckerberg co-founded the social-networking Web site, Facebook, in Palo Alto, Calif.

Mr. Zuckerberg, 26, has pledged $100-million worth of Facebook stock to establish his foundation, Startup: Education, which he plans to donate over five years.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

10. (tied) Marc R. and Lynne Benioff

Amount donated: $100 millionBeneficiary: University of California at San Francisco Children’s HospitalDonors’ background: The Benioffs’ daughter was born at the hospital, and Lynne serves on the hospital foundation’s board. Marc, 46, founded Salesforce.com, a technology company in San Francisco.
Photo: Elisabeth Fall/fallfoto.com

Amount donated: $100 million

Beneficiary: University of California at San Francisco Children’s Hospital

Donors’ background: The Benioffs’ daughter was born at the hospital, and Lynne serves on the hospital foundation’s board. Marc, 46, founded Salesforce.com, a technology company in San Francisco.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

9. Meyer and Renee Luskin

Amount donated: $100.5 millionBeneficiary: University of California at Los AngelesDonors’ background: The Luskins are UCLA alumni and met while they were students there. Meyer Luskin, 85, earned a degree in economics in 1949, and Renee, 78, earned hers in sociology in 1953. Mr. Luskin is chairman of Scope Industries, a Santa Monica, Calif., company that manufactures an animal-feed ingredient from recycled bakery waste.
Photo: Reed Hutchinson | UCLA

Amount donated: $100.5 million

Beneficiary: University of California at Los Angeles

Donors’ background: The Luskins are UCLA alumni and met while they were students there. Meyer Luskin, 85, earned a degree in economics in 1949, and Renee, 78, earned hers in sociology in 1953. Mr. Luskin is chairman of Scope Industries, a Santa Monica, Calif., company that manufactures an animal-feed ingredient from recycled bakery waste.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

8. T. Boone Pickens

Amount donated: $101 millionBiggest beneficiary: Oklahoma State UniversityDonor’s background: Pickens, 82, founded Mesa Petroleum, an oil company, and BP Capital, an energy-investment firm, both in Dallas.
Photo: Riccardo S. Savi | Getty Images

Amount donated: $101 million

Biggest beneficiary: Oklahoma State University

Donor’s background: Pickens, 82, founded Mesa Petroleum, an oil company, and BP Capital, an energy-investment firm, both in Dallas.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

7. Frances Lasker Brody

Amount donated: Approximately $110 millionBeneficiary: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical GardensDonor’s background: Brody inherited wealth from her father, Albert Lasker, widely considered to be a pioneer of modern advertising, and her husband, Sidney Brody, a real-estate magnate who built shopping centers.Brody, who was 93 when she died in November 2009, bequeathed about $110-million to the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, in San Marino, Calif., w

Amount donated: Approximately $110 million

Beneficiary: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

Donor’s background: Brody inherited wealth from her father, Albert Lasker, widely considered to be a pioneer of modern advertising, and her husband, Sidney Brody, a real-estate magnate who built shopping centers.

Brody, who was 93 when she died in November 2009, bequeathed about $110-million to the Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, in San Marino, Calif., where she was a member of its Board of Overseers for 20 years.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

6. Leonard Blavatnik

Amount donated: $117.2 millionBeneficiary: University of OxfordDonor’s background: Blavatnik, 53, founded Access Industries, an international corporation with holdings in chemicals and natural resources, media and telecommunications, and real estate. Its main offices are in London, Moscow, and New York.
Photo: Nick Harvey | WireImage | Getty Images

Amount donated: $117.2 million

Beneficiary: University of Oxford

Donor’s background: Blavatnik, 53, founded Access Industries, an international corporation with holdings in chemicals and natural resources, media and telecommunications, and real estate. Its main offices are in London, Moscow, and New York.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

5. Eli and Edythe L. Broad

Amount donated: $118.3 millionBeneficiary: Broad FoundationsDonors’ background: Eli Broad, 77, is founding chairman of KB Home Corporation, a home builder, and of SunAmerica, a financial-services company, both of which are in Los Angeles.Eli and his wife, Edythe, 74, gave $118.3-million to the Broad Foundations, in Los Angeles. The foundations support civic programs, contemporary-art museums, efforts to improve elementary and secondary public-school education, and medical and scientific research
Photo: Getty Images

Amount donated: $118.3 million

Beneficiary: Broad Foundations

Donors’ background: Eli Broad, 77, is founding chairman of KB Home Corporation, a home builder, and of SunAmerica, a financial-services company, both of which are in Los Angeles.

Eli and his wife, Edythe, 74, gave $118.3-million to the Broad Foundations, in Los Angeles. The foundations support civic programs, contemporary-art museums, efforts to improve elementary and secondary public-school education, and medical and scientific research.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

4. Irwin M. and Joan K. Jacobs

Amount donated: $119.5 millionBiggest beneficiary: University of California at San Diego Health SystemOther key beneficiary: Joan and Irwin Jacobs Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of San DiegoDonors’ background: Mr. Jacobs, 77, co-founded Qualcomm, a wireless-communications company in San Diego. Joan, 78, serves as vice chairwoman of the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego's board of directors.
Photo: University of California, San Diego

Amount donated: $119.5 million

Biggest beneficiary: University of California at San Diego Health System

Other key beneficiary: Joan and Irwin Jacobs Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego

Donors’ background: Mr. Jacobs, 77, co-founded Qualcomm, a wireless-communications company in San Diego. Joan, 78, serves as vice chairwoman of the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego's board of directors.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

3. T. Denny Sanford

Amount donated: $162.5 millionBiggest beneficiary: Sanford Health FoundationOther key beneficiaries: Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and the Florida Hospital for Children.Donor’s background: Sanford, 75, is chairman of United National Corporation, a banking business in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Photo: AP

Amount donated: $162.5 million

Biggest beneficiary: Sanford Health Foundation

Other key beneficiaries: Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and the Florida Hospital for Children.

Donor’s background: Sanford, 75, is chairman of United National Corporation, a banking business in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

2. Michael R. Bloomberg

Amount donated: $279.2 millionBeneficiaries: Arts, human services, public affairs, and other groupsDonor’s background: Bloomberg, 68, the mayor of New York, founded Bloomberg LP, a financial-data and news-service company, in New York.
Photo: Getty Images

Amount donated: $279.2 million

Beneficiaries: Arts, human services, public affairs, and other groups

Donor’s background: Bloomberg, 68, the mayor of New York, founded Bloomberg LP, a financial-data and news-service company, in New York.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy

1. George Soros

Amount donated: $332 millionBeneficiary: Open Society FoundationsDonor’s background: Soros, 80, is chairman of Soros Fund Management, a New York firm that manages hedge funds, and is the founder of the Open Society Foundations, with headquarters in New York.
Photo: Stan Honda | AFP | Getty Images

Amount donated: $332 million

Beneficiary: Open Society Foundations

Donor’s background: Soros, 80, is chairman of Soros Fund Management, a New York firm that manages hedge funds, and is the founder of the Open Society Foundations, with headquarters in New York.

Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy