Top Philanthropists by Total Lifetime Giving

This ranking highlights individuals who have donated the most money to charitable causes over their lifetimes, showcasing the scale of their generosity.

The top 3

1. Three Largest Individual Donors Ever: Warren Buffett, Bill Gates & Melinda French Gates, and MacKenzie Scott are among the top individual philanthropists by total lifetime giving, with Scott having donated $26.4 billion in less than seven years, making her the third-biggest philanthropist of all time by total lifetime donations.
2. MacKenzie Scott's Rapid Giving Pace: MacKenzie Scott has donated $26.4 billion to over 2,500 groups in less than seven years, including a record $7.2 billion in 2025, making her the world's most generous philanthropist that year and outpacing other billionaires in speed of giving.
3. Top Global Philanthropic Foundations by Assets: The Novo Nordisk Foundation leads the list of wealthiest charitable foundations with $167 billion, followed by Tata Trusts and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which had $70.2 billion in assets as of December 31, 2024.

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