America’s Mega-Donors Stuck to Their Giving Strategies in 2024
The donor backlash and MacKenzie Scott’s no-strings giving didn’t sway the country’s biggest philanthropists.
By Maria Di Mento and Jim Rendon
How the Chronicle Compiled Its List of the Top 50 Donors of 2024
A look at what gifts count toward the ranking — and why some big-name philanthropists aren’t on the list
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Michael Bloomberg Tops List of America’s Biggest Donors for the Second Year in a Row
The former New York City mayor gave $3.7 billion. Six donors on the list gave $1 billion or more. Plus, see the rest of our March issue, published online today.
By Maria Di Mento and Jim Rendon
Late Goldman Sachs Partner and Wife Give $70 Million
Plus, the reality television pioneer Jonathan Murray gave his journalism school $10 million, and Montana State University and Wabash College received big gifts.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
A Note From Our Editor-in-Chief About Our Data Analysis of the Administration’s Threats to DEI
We appreciate the responses to our publication of a data-driven analysis of the foundations that could be at risk of investigation due to President Trump’s executive order about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Trump’s DEI Order Takes Aim at the Biggest Foundations. Here Are the 346 That Could Face a Probe.
The president’s order for investigations of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs target philanthropies that hold $900 billion in assets and account for roughly 55 percent of all grant dollars awarded.
By Drew Lindsay
Senior Editor, Special Projects
MacArthur Foundation to Increase Giving for Two Years in Response to ‘Crisis’
The move was prompted by the Trump administration’s freeze on federal foreign aid and the now-suspended freeze on federal grants.
By Thalia Beaty
Associated Press
Grants for Science and Health Research Tend to Stay Local
Foundations and individuals provide $30 billion annually, largely to research efforts in their own states.
By Louis Shekhtman
Contributor
Michigan Hospital Lands $30 Million for Emergency Room and Women’s Health-Care Services
Plus, a struggling art school in San Francisco and three universities received big gifts.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Philanthropy Advising Is a ‘Wild West’ — and Increasingly Influential
As wealth concentrates and more donors look for help starting or expanding their giving, they’re turning to advisors for guidance. One network of advisors helped ultra-wealthy clients give $60 billion in 2024, or about 9 percent of all philanthropy.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Amid USAID Cuts, a Ukrainian Aid Worker’s Plea to Philanthropy: ‘Stand With Us’
On the third anniversary of the Russian invasion, Ukrainian nonprofits are facing yet another test of endurance.
By Anna Pantiukhova
Contributor
To Help Small Businesses Recover From the L.A. Fires, Invest in Community Lenders
Nonprofit lenders often deploy funds faster than the government but need more capital to meet demand.
By Joyce Klein and Amy Hereford
Mellon Foundation Commits $35 Million for Jazz Preservation Efforts
Plus, the College of William & Mary received $50 million to back scholarships for students at its Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences, and Arnold Ventures awarded $35.6 million to the North Carolina Community College System.
By M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Solutions
5 Things We Just Learned About MacKenzie Scott’s Giving
A study by the Center for Effective Philanthropy reveals the profound impact of MacKenzie Scott’s unrestricted grants on hundreds of nonprofits.
By Sara Herschander
Contributor
Philadelphians Catherine and Anthony Clifton Give UPenn $120 Million
Plus, World Resources Institute and University of Chicago will share in a $100 million gift for global energy-transition efforts, Morehouse College landed $5 million for scholarships, and three other universities received large donations.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Nonprofits Get More Donations When They Vary Their Facebook Fundraising Messages, New Research Finds
Researchers also found that when nonprofits share messages of gratitude or highlight progress toward their goals, they tend to raise more money than if they just ask for donations.
By Abhishek Bhati
Contributor