America’s Top 10 Philanthropists by Total Giving in 2025

While some of America’s wealthiest individuals are known for headline-making generosity, others contribute more modestly relative to their vast fortunes. Based on total lifetime donations as of 2025, the following are the top 10 donors in the United States:

1. Warren Buffett
With a net worth of $147.2 billion, Buffett remains the most generous donor in US history. In 2025 alone, he donated more than $7 billion through regular stock gifts and contributions to family foundations. Over his lifetime, he has given away $68.3 billion — about 32% of his total wealth — primarily supporting health and poverty alleviation initiatives.

2. Bill Gates & Melinda French Gates
With a combined net worth of $138.1 billion, the former couple donated approximately $11.3 billion in 2024 through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Over their lifetimes, they have contributed $52.6 billion — about 28% of their wealth — focusing on global health and poverty reduction.

3. MacKenzie Scott
Since 2012, Scott has made substantial contributions to nonprofit organizations. In 2025, she donated at least $760 million to 18 historically Black colleges and universities in the United States. With a net worth of $28.5 billion, she has given away $26.4 billion in her lifetime — 46% of her wealth — largely supporting education and economic equity.

4. Michael Bloomberg
The UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition has made major donations to education and environmental protection. In 2025, he provided more than $91 million in assistance to vulnerable countries. With a net worth of $109.4 billion, Bloomberg has donated $25.4 billion in his lifetime — around 19% of his wealth.

5. George Soros
Through the Open Society Foundations, Soros supports justice, democracy and human rights. In 2024, major grants were provided to the Obama Foundation, Central European University and West Africa Democracy Radio. With a net worth of $7.4 billion, Soros has donated $24 billion in his lifetime — approximately 76% of his wealth.

6. Marilyn Simons & Family
Simons has invested heavily in scientific research, particularly in environmental impact studies and neuroscience. With a net worth of $32.5 billion, the family has donated $10.3 billion — about 24% of their wealth — supporting science and mathematics.

7. Steve Ballmer & Connie Ballmer
With a combined net worth of $141 billion, the Ballmers have donated $6.5 billion in their lifetimes — around 4% of their wealth. Through the Ballmer Group, they focus on economic mobility, early childhood education and support for families affected by wildfires.

8. Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan
The couple have invested in AI-driven biological research and donated more than $400 million in 2025 alone. With a net worth of $213 billion, they have given $6.1 billion in total — about 3% of their wealth — largely through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

9. Sergey Brin
Brin has donated $2.2 billion to Parkinson’s disease research and supported climate-focused nonprofits. With a net worth of $238.2 billion, he has contributed $5.1 billion over his lifetime — approximately 2% of his wealth.

10. Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sanchez
Through the Bezos Earth Fund and the Day 1 Families Fund, they support climate action and homelessness initiatives. With a combined net worth of $250 billion, they have donated $4.7 billion — about 2% of their wealth.

Although the combined fortunes of Elon Musk and Larry Page exceed $1 trillion, their comparatively lower lifetime donations have kept them off this year’s top 10 list.