Wealthy Donors

Australian mining magnate Andrew Forrest on Monday made the country's biggest philanthropic gift by a living individual, donating $298 million to causes covering health, education and fighting modern slavery. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull sang the praises of the one-third owner of world No. 4 iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group Ltd, who has faced occasional…

Last week the New York Times published an article titled, “How to Get the Wealthy to Donate.” The piece began with the statement, “Wealthy people are selfish jerks. So are their children.” The article chronicled research that looked at the differences in charitable giving based on net worth. The conclusion of the research studies was clear, “Across a wide range of ages, wealthy adults tended to share less of what they had with others...

Philanthropist and New York Public Library Trustee Katharine J. Rayner has given the Library a $15 million gift to strengthen and advance the institution’s internationally-renowned research collections. The major gift, announced at the Library’s Board of Trustees meeting, establishes the “Katharine J. Rayner Fund for Special Collections,” which will fund the Library’s acquisition of special…

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo will donate $3.5 million to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, his foundation announced. The donation will be used to lend financial assistance to families who have trouble covering the cost of their children’s cancer treatments. The hospital has also renamed a waiting room after the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation. Rizzo…

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has received $110 million—the largest private donation in the history of California State University—from William and Linda Frost, Cal State alumni who have worked extensively with administrators for more than a decade “to transform science and mathematics education at Cal Poly,” school officials announced Wednesday. Much of the donation will…

The National Park Service has identified projects in three national parks—all Civil War or Revolutionary War battlefields—that could receive money donated back to the government from President Trump's presidential salary. At the top of the list are two restoration projects at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, both of which would cost about $78,000—almost…

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the philanthropic investment vehicle created by Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, MD, will fund an effort to allow biologists to share drafts of papers before they are published in peer-reviewed scientific journals like Nature or Science. Financial terms were not disclosed. Cori Bargmann, the president…

One couple decided to do something to help the families affected by the increase in the number of police killed in the line of duty. The Rice family said the tragedy of Deputy Geer's death inspired them to create a nonprofit organization to help families of fallen heroes across the country. The nonprofit is called the…

Donald P. Bellisario, a 1961 Penn State graduate and the creator of programs who changed the landscape of American television, has made one of the largest gifts in the history of the university. The acclaimed writer, producer and director of shows such as "Magnum P.I.," "Quantum Leap" and "NCIS" has committed $30 million to support communications…

Best Buddies has been a great friend to Tom Brady’s own charitable goals. Best Buddies International, which bills itself as a nonprofit that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has profited greatly from its relationship with the Patriots quarterback, who has lent his image and time to help the charity grow. Since 2011, Brady…