Top 10 Philanthropists

As the co-founder and chief executive of the social media phenomenon that is Facebook, this man has pocketed a few bucks over the years… alright, more like $38 billion as of mid-2015. However, when all is said and done, Mark Zuckerberg has pledged to donate half of his earnings to charity through a campaign known as “The Giving Pledge.” The guy’s barely over 30 years old, but he’s long been a steadfast advocate of philanthropy, as he offered up 18 million Facebook shares to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in 2013 – close to 1 billion dollars in worth – and he’s donated millions to fight ebola abroad. Don’t be jealous of Mark Zuckerberg – be grateful for him.

#9: Paul Allen

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Along with Bill Gates, this Seattle native formed Microsoft back in the mid-70s, and like a loyal local boy should, Paul Allen formed an organization to give back to the Pacific Northwest. Not only has the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation transformed young lives through hundreds of million of dollars in donations, but the man behind it all has also made it a personal passion to support non-profits, whether it’s in the arts, science, technology or education. Another supporter of “The Giving Pledge,” Allen continues to change the world by allowing creative individuals to grow though his financial support.

Oklahoma born and Harvard educated, here’s a man that puts his money where his mouth is. After all, he’s one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, but while he’s not obligated to essentially give everything away, he still does – and he does it for the children. Be it poverty or education, George Kaiser lifts the spirits of the nation’s younger generation while kicking back emotional and financial support to Oklahoma’s Jewish community. He’s not necessarily worried about making the news because of his philanthropy, as he understands the bigger picture that afflicts poverty-stricken families and is a very private person who shuns publicity.

In 1960s Arkansas, a couple of gents named Bud and Sam Walton created an empire, and decades later, their relatives have carried on the tradition of discount goods and big-time philanthropy. As of 2015, there are six Waltons dispersing the family fortune, and yes, they are billionaires – each and every one of them. However, in 1988, the Walton Family Foundation was formed, and the family has since devoted their riches to the state of Arkansas along with the Delta Region as a whole. In fact, Alice Walton opened the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which has received one billion in funding from the Walton family.

He’s the founder of the Virgin Group, he’s a world-renowned daredevil and he’s a modern boss of big boy donations. Worth a cool $5 billion, Sir Richard Branson navigates the world in style, and he once presented a rather unique concept to Nelson Mandela, who embraced the man’s advice by creating “The Elders,” a group of humanitarian world leaders. Branson’s a founding sponsor for the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, and when mostmen his age are thinking about retirement, he remains an advocate for international human rights while lending financial support to the appropriate outlets. They call him “Old Beardie,” and he’s a living legend of philanthropy.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, this man survived a Nazi occupation as a teenager and proceeded to develop his business skills at the London School of Economics. Today, he’s the chairman of the U.S. investment firm known as Soros Fund Management, and he’s done quite well for himself, amassing a couple billion dollars… times 12. Still kicking at his old age, Soros had donated approximately one-third of his worth to charity since the early ‘80s, most notably in South Africa and Soviet states. When you’ve lived a life like George Soros, well, then you know that every dollar counts.

#4: Warren Buffett

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Approximately 50 years older than Mark Zuckerberg, this middle American has often been recognized as, oh, the wealthiest person in the world. He developed his business game through an Ivy League education, and as the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett has joined the young Facebook CEO in committing to the “Giving Pledge” while holding the belief that his kids should live a comfy life but not have enough money to be lazy. He’s committed millions to the Nuclear Threat Initiative, and he’s gone on record about donating his fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

#3: Michael Bloomberg

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Two months after the 9/11 attacks, this man was elected Mayor of New York City and served for the next 11 years. And while this would be a major accomplishment for any Harvard-educated business mogul, he’s become well known for his charity group Bloomberg Philanthropies, which centers on five key areas: public health, the arts, government innovation, environment and education – essentially the foundation for a progressive America. He’s not afraid to give it all away, and we know this because that’s what he does year after year after year. Just ask the 850 charities that have received a couple billion dollars of Bloomberg donations.

Upon moving to the United States from his native Scotland in 1848, an adolescent Andrew Carnegie nabbed his first job and realized the potential of his new land. Along came the industrial revolution, and as one of the men who truly shaped America, Carnegie amassed a fortune that he continuously pumped back into the economy. He even went so far as to write a gospel – “The Gospel of Wealth” – which was the 19th century version of the “Giving Pledge.” Of course, it was the ORIGINAL pledge, and this man set the standard for billionaire philanthropists, as he donated approximately 90 percent of his earnings to a new America. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. - Ted Stanley - Manny Pacquiao - Sergey Brin - Jan Koum - Ralph Wilson - Angelina Jolie

As previously mentioned, Bill Gates was a co-founder of Microsoft and he’s long been on record about his admiration for our #2 entry, Andrew Carnegie, along with David Rockefeller. With the American forefather serving as his model for philanthropy, Bill and wife Melinda formed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, which is undoubtedly the 21st century model for all major philanthropists as they’ve graciously donated nearly 30 billion dollars to charity as of 2013. And in a new digital world, Bill and Melinda Gates are able to effectively organize the world’s most influential moguls to promote a better way of life across the globe.