Giving by the 50 biggest donors in the United States totaled more than $11.9 billion in 2023, down from last year’s $16.5 billion total, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports.

Michael Bloomberg, Phil and Penny Knight, and Michael Dell were among the individuals who gave the most to charitable causes last year. According to the annual Philanthropy 50, Bloomberg contributed $3 billion in support of the arts, education, environment, public health, and programs aimed at improving city governments around the world, while the Knights gave $1.24 billion, including support for the University of Oregon and an ambitious poverty-fighting effort in Portland.

The biggest recipients of gifts were the foundations of many donors, as well as colleges and universities. Most of the nation’s wealthiest people do not appear on the list—only 23 of the richest Americans on the Forbes 400 donated enough to meet the list requirements. However, only gifts or pledges made through 501(c)(3) organizations were counted, so philanthropic gifts made to LLCs or 501(c)(4) groups were not included in the ranking.

“Revealing America’s largest donors and analyzing where the wealthy give shines a spotlight on all giving to charities,” said Chronicle senior reporter Maria Di Mento, who directs the Philanthropy 50. “Our deep research annually unearths dozens of large donations that were previously never disclosed to the public and reflects surprisingly significant ‘hidden wealth,’ among many generous contributors who are not widely known.”

(Photo credit: Wikimedia/Gage Skidmore)