America’s Biggest Donors Give Unusually Large Share of Gifts to Colleges
Nearly half of giving by the country’s biggest donors went to higher education, with $1 of every $5 benefiting elite universities with multibillion-dollar endowments.
By Maria Di Mento and Drew Lindsay
Philanthropy 50: Nike Mogul Tops Chart While Tech Giants Flex Charity Muscle
The Nike co-founder and veteran philanthropist headlines our annual ranking, while self-made women and tech moguls herald change in the giving ranks.
By Maria Di Mento and Drew Lindsay
Roxanne Quimby once lived in a shack without electricity or running water to be closer to the outdoors. After amassing a fortune as a co-founder of Burt’s Bees, she found a much grander way to honor nature.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
Robert Smith, Carnegie Hall’s first African-American board chair, is making a splash with his giving.
By Drew Lindsay
Contributor
Beware the Bearer of Big Gifts
Praise for megadonors like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and David Rubenstein is now tinged with questions about whether their good works are really good for society.
By Drew Lindsay
Contributor
Billionaire John Arnold Defends His Philanthropy, Big Gifts, and Mark Zuckerberg
“It is easier to criticize a personality than an organization,” Mr. Arnold says in an interview with The Chronicle, in which he also explains his support for a controversial Baltimore surveillance program.
By Drew Lindsay
Contributor
The 2017 Philanthropy 50: Where They Live, Where They Give, and More
We break down our ranking by geography, age, and source of wealth and examine a decade of big-donor giving.
By Maria Di Mento and Nidhi Singh
Along with winning medals at the Olympics and other international competitions, veterans of the Alexandria Boxing Club serve as role models for teens in and around Washington, D.C.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Leaders Must Listen to Solve Big Problems, Author Says
The corporate-style leadership increasingly in vogue in philanthropy is ill-suited for tackling complex social issues, the author of a forthcoming book argues.
By Alex Daniels
Senior Editor, Foundations
The Quantum Age Beckons. Philanthropy Should Help Us Understand It.
As quantum theory takes root in the social as well as the physical sciences, foundations should invest in efforts to better our grasp of this powerful idea and its potential for both good and ill.
By Stephen Del Rosso
Contributor
How Many Forbes 400 Billionaires Gave Big in 2016?
The number who made the Philanthropy 50 may surprise you. Plus: We list the Giving Pledge members who stepped up last year.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
The Chronicle Digs Deep to Compile Annual List of Top 50 Donors
Inside the methodology for tallying which philanthropists gave away the most in in 2016.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Why Philanthropy Is Not a Profession
The values and passions that motivate donors and grant makers are tough to teach and codify.
By Howard Gardner
Contributor
With Anti-Trump Windfall, Nonprofits Are Digging In for a Fight
Nonprofits like the Natural Resources Defense Council are hiring lawyers setting up hotlines, beefing up staff, recruiting more volunteers, launching defense funds, and more.
By Caroline Preston
Contributor
ACLU’s Tough Talk on Trump Leads to Huge Fundraising Success
Time will tell if the American Civil Liberties Union’s aggressive stance will continue to resonate with donors.
By Timothy Sandoval
Contributor
Philanthropy’s Preoccupation With Airing Failures Is a Mixed Blessing
Too often donors seem to forget that real people and communities were hurt as grant makers took approaches that didn’t work out.
By Benjamin Soskis
Contributor