Warren Buffett.
Warren Buffett, James Simons, and Phil Knight are among the top charity donors of 2023
  • Warren Buffett topped the list of biggest donations in 2023.
  • He gave away 1.5 million shares of Berkshire Hathaway Class "B" stock valued at $541.5 million.
  • Nike's Phil Knight, hedge-funder James Simons, and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin also made sizable gifts.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy's annual list of the biggest charitable donations from individuals or their foundations totaled more than $3.5 billion in 2023. Four universities received big gifts in 2023, along with four scientific research institutes and a health-care system. The other gifts went to a family foundation and a racial-justice group.

The list has 11 gifts because of ties. Eight of the donors are multibillionaires, and their combined net worth is $305.1 billion.