Who is a philanthropist and what does he do, what is philanthropy + 15 most famous philanthropists in Russia and the world

Every year, every fifth Russian donates money to charities and other non-profit organizations at least once - such data is contained in the World Charity Ranking, published every year by the international Foundation for the Support and Development of Philanthropy (CAF). And many people help those in need on an ongoing basis. In this article we will talk about what philanthropy is, what it is like, what are the motives of those who support others, and also introduce the most famous philanthropists in Russia and the world.

What is philanthropy and who are philanthropists?

The word “philanthropy” literally means “philanthropy” (from the Greek “philas” - “to love” and “anthropos” - “man”). In the modern understanding, this concept means helping other people, charity, actions aimed at the benefit of other members of society.

Accordingly, a philanthropist is a person who provides support to other people free of charge. Athletes, artists, children's organizations, healthcare and educational institutions, low-income citizens, and so on. The main incentive for a philanthropist is the simple human desire to help: the less fortunate, the less successful, or simply people from those areas where big money does not circulate, but respectable masterpieces are often created or high sports results are achieved. There are other reasons, which are discussed below in the chapter “Who Becomes a Philanthropist and Why.”

Forms of philanthropy

The main instruments of charity accepted in modern society include:

1. Financial assistance . Money can be donated to a specific person or transferred to a charitable foundation.
2. Property . This could be clothing, food, medicine, equipment, cars, real estate.
3. Services . An ordinary person can work for free in hospitals, shelters and social centers. People with certain knowledge can provide free consulting services to those in need and represent their interests in certain authorities.
4. Donation.

Philanthropic activity - what is it?

Philanthropic activity includes the transfer of objects, products or services to other people free of charge or on preferential terms. In this case, voluntariness and selflessness are required. There are several types of philanthropic activities:

• material support for those in need. This category includes financial assistance, gifts to specific people or groups of people (orphans, elderly people, etc.), and the provision of food, clothing, medicines;
• charity events and events. From the point of view of philanthropy, their main goal is not only to help a person, but also to attract public attention to his problems, to eliminate the source of these problems;
• assistance to disabled people (cleaning up the apartment, going for food or medicine, accompanying a disabled person to their destination along the street, etc.);
• charitable assistance to organizations. First of all, we are talking about material support for the construction of churches, public buildings, shelters, and so on, about financing exhibitions and other cultural events;
• support for the social sphere in poor and undeveloped countries or regions (assistance in the construction of schools, kindergartens, hospitals, community centers);
• assistance to victims of natural disasters, man-made disasters, and family problems. Actually, this is the area of ​​responsibility of the state, but the state machine does not always cope with it, and then caring people come to the rescue.

Who is a philanthropist in simple words

Philanthropist - what does it mean? This is a person who is passionate about activities that bring benefit to other people, that is, doing charity work to help those in need. It consists of voluntary donations, caring for sick and infirm individuals, as well as providing free support to everyone who needs it. In cities and villages you can find search teams and groups of young people helping pensioners and the disabled. Philanthropy means philanthropy, originally such a word was applied to any individual who treated his neighbors well.

The motivation for a lover of humanity is the desire to make the world kinder and better. Nowadays, philanthropists make contributions to science and art, health care, as well as to ecology and culture. Thanks to their free support, vulnerable segments of the population can receive basic necessities or financial assistance.

History of philanthropy

The word “philanthropy” was first used by the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus in the 5th century BC. In the tragedy "Prometheus Bound" the term was used as a divine favor towards man. Later, the interpretation of philanthropy appeared as charity, the help of man to man. In Ancient Greece, this form of human activity included the construction of temples, public baths, public distribution of money to the poor, and public meals.

In Ancient Rome, the concept of philanthropy was intertwined with patronage of the arts and acquired the connotation of not entirely disinterested material support to glorify one’s name and achieve some political goals.

With the advent of Christianity and its commandments, philanthropy received, so to speak, a strong scientific basis. For this religion, helping one's neighbor, compassion and charity have become the cornerstones of theology. And it is logical that the centers of philanthropy have been around since the 4th-5th centuries AD. there were churches and monasteries. In 542, the first almshouse was created in Lyon. In 787, the first orphanage opened in Milan. In the monasteries, ministers distributed food to the needy and provided shelter to the homeless.

This continued until the 16th century, when church reform took place in Europe, and most monasteries ceased to be centers of charity. From this time on, philanthropy became the domain of the state or public organizations. In Europe (especially in England), private charity was initially strictly prohibited. However, this initially deprived those in need of help from rich people, so by the middle of the 18th century the ban was lifted. The first private charitable foundation was created by the English merchant Thomas Coram. Almost immediately, the Coram Foundation established an educational home for homeless children and orphans (“Foundling Hospital”).

The modern model of philanthropy, combining both public and private initiatives, was born in the 19th century in Germany. In the city of Elberfeld, a board of trustees was created, which collected information about those in need, found out what help was needed and distributed donations from citizens and the state, and also provided “in-kind” services: from employment to payment for treatment. Currently, the charity system uses the Elberfeld system. Its main goal is not so much to solve a person’s specific problem, but to improve his life in the long term.

In Russia, the evolution of philanthropy as a whole followed the Western path: monasteries as centers of charity, the first state almshouses under Ivan the Terrible, the development of philanthropy in the second half of the 19th century. In the USSR, the concept of “philanthropy” was practically not used within the country, but charitable foundations existed: the Peace Fund, the Children’s Fund named after. Lenin, the USSR Cultural Foundation and others, who helped residents of other countries - most often poor or subjected to natural disasters. In the 90s, domestic charitable organizations were also revived, and philanthropy again became relevant.

History of the term

In ancient times, the main form of charity was almsgiving. In simple words, those in need could receive alms and food near religious buildings. Philanthropy, even before the advent of Christianity, was interpreted as a benevolent attitude towards people - this definition was mentioned in the myths and works of ancient Greece.

Later in Europe, orphanages, almshouses and boarding houses were created for children from poor families. In Russia, charity became famous during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, and a century later philanthropists began to appear, donating funds to various causes. Popular names among Russian benefactors include Sergei and Pavel Tretyakov, Savva Morozov, and Alexei Khludov. In the USSR, charitable foundations are created to provide assistance to citizens of the country.

Who becomes a philanthropist and why?

A person’s desire to selflessly help other people arises for several reasons:

• life circumstances that prompted you to give to those in need what you yourself once needed. Often wealthy businessmen help startups, inventors of know-how, and authors of business ideas - simply because they themselves were once just as young and hungry. Established artists finance children's festivals, famous artists organize exhibitions of their novice colleagues. Those who have recovered from serious illnesses or who have lost relatives and friends from illnesses become organizers of philanthropic organizations that help the sick;
• desire to perpetuate your name. This is not a completely selfless motive, but a person does not require material rewards for his actions, so why not;
• idealistic internal motives - for example, to correct social injustice (to support the persecuted), or to help disabled people return to normal life, this also includes people who are simply sure that they need to help each other.
• the desire to correct one’s own mistakes , to “atone for sins” - this is how former figures of criminal structures, having become legalized and become rich, direct large funds to philanthropic endeavors.
• lack of heirs or reluctance to leave an inheritance - oddly enough, this is one of the most common motives for philanthropy. You can’t take capital to the grave, and if there are no relatives to whom you can (or want) to leave money, thoughts arise to spend the money on useful things for strangers.

Traits of a Philanthropist

Thus, a philanthropist is a special behavior, character, values ​​and worldview. Therefore, it is important to consider what character traits a classic example of a philanthropist possesses:

1. Empathy. Such people do not have hatred, they are attentive to others, try to help and support;
2. Unselfishness;
3. Virtue, or otherwise kindness;
4. Perseverance and determination;
5. Confidence in yourself and in your actions;
6. High sense of justice;
7. High ambitions;
8. Compassion.

A person engaged in philanthropy can be identified by his character traits

What is the difference between a philanthropist and a misanthrope?

These are words with opposite meanings. If a philanthropist builds his activities based on the desire to help other people, then the misanthrope is emphatically individualistic and fundamentally refuses to respond to all requests for help. Misanthropes try not to take part in social endeavors and, if possible, minimize communication with the majority of their own kind.

Both misanthropy and philanthropy are concepts with conditional boundaries. It is difficult to distinguish between a person who sincerely shares his money with those in need and someone who wants to gain popularity from his generosity. In the same way, a person who openly declares hatred towards others may simply be increasing his own worth.

An extreme form of misanthropy is social Darwinism (the idea that “the survival of the fittest”), which denies philanthropy.

Types of philanthropy

Social science identifies several types of philanthropy. There are independent figures in society who allocate significant sums to support those in need. Such philanthropy is typical of entrepreneurs, athletes and other famous personalities. But the most common type of assistance is the transfer of feasible amounts for the treatment of sick children, support for low-income families and other purposes.

Another type of charity is an association of legal entities that devote their activities to philanthropy. For example, they can raise funds to provide for street children or homeless people. Such organizations were common even before the revolution, when doctors provided assistance to the poor.

A charitable foundation is an integral part of modern society. The autonomous organization is under the strict control of trustees and directs all funds to support projects. Russian foundations provide assistance to children with cancer, the disabled and orphans.

A continuation of the charity movement is the collection of donations to help specific people. For example, volunteers can raise funds for an operation for a seriously ill person, the purchase of basic necessities, and other good causes.

How does a philanthropist differ from an altruist?

Altruism is an extreme degree of philanthropy, the willingness to give the last to those in need, even to the detriment of oneself. An altruist can do work for another person, give all his available money to charity, and so on. All altruists are philanthropists, but not all philanthropists are altruists. If you send 100 rubles via SMS once a month for the treatment of a seriously ill child, you are a philanthropist, but not an altruist. If you transfer your entire pension to an artist you know, while you yourself live on bread and water in anticipation of beautiful paintings, you are both a philanthropist and an altruist.

How to become a philanthropist?

When a person understands the meaning of the word philanthropist and there are certain personal motives for engaging in charitable activities, then you can start with the following steps:

1. Material donations to specific people or foundations. This could be money sent via SMS for the child’s treatment, or toys to an orphanage.
2. Conducting fundraising activities for specific purposes and attracting public attention to them: ecology, scientific research into the treatment of a certain disease, etc.
3. Volunteering. Such people donate their personal time and effort to help other people by being a member of a specific volunteer organization or foundation.

What is systemic philanthropy

Systemic philanthropy is supporting charitable organizations and philanthropic initiatives on a regular basis. First of all, within the framework of developed programs and projects, strategies and other systematizing documents.

In the West, systemic philanthropy has been developing for several centuries, so the 350-370 billion dollars that Americans, for example, give to charity annually, do not surprise anyone in this country. The first “swallows” of planned and formalized philanthropy were the foundations of the largest businessmen of the late 19th century - Rockefeller, Huntington, Peabody, Stanford and, of course, Carnegie.

There are three main areas in systemic philanthropy:

1. Transfer of earned/accumulated/collected values ​​to charitable purposes. Let us remember the famous Faberge eggs, which were bought by the oligarch Viktor Vekselberg - they later became the basis of the exhibition of the public museum in St. Petersburg. Or Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, who donated most of their fortunes to charity as part of the Giving Pledge.
2. The establishment of educational institutions, public libraries and other educational institutions , which are financed by philanthropists. This also includes individual educational programs, the implementation of which is accompanied by the investment of sponsors’ funds in the educational institution. This is how almost all the largest private universities arose - Stanford, Harvard, and so on.
3. The financing of charitable trusts , where the trustees collectively decided how to spend the money collected, and the management looked for ways to implement the decisions in the most efficient way. In the history of trust philanthropy there are both narrowly focused funds (for example, the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission, which was engaged in the fight against diseases in the USA with the billionaire’s money). There are also foundations intended for a broad area of ​​philanthropy (for example, the Russell Sage Foundation, founded by his widow and aimed at combating poverty in the broadest sense of the concept).

Modern understanding of philanthropists

Previously, everyone who was involved in any kind of charity and helped low-income groups of the population was called philanthropists. At the same time, it was possible not only to donate money, but also to build buildings, help with advice or get a job.

Nowadays, philanthropists are businessmen, entrepreneurs and caring people who support people in difficult situations. And also those who, due to health reasons or circumstances, cannot provide for themselves.

Generally speaking, almost every 5th person in our country can be a philanthropist. 20% of all people, according to official statistics, periodically donate money to those in need. We see this both in support funds and on federal TV, when the whole country collects funds for victims of natural disasters.

But in a narrower sense, the term "philanthropist" refers to wealthy businessmen. They simply have much more resources. And because of this, they can build hospitals, make large donations and even determine the development of such important industries as medicine and ecology throughout the world.

Large businessmen even have their own funds, which receive money directly from the income of the owners. These can be either funds to support certain segments of the population, or ordinary companies that deal with things that are important to society. Most often these are medicine (centers for the treatment of various diseases) and ecology (the creation and promotion of alternative energy sources and the fight against environmental pollution).

Patron and philanthropist: what's the difference?

Philanthropist and philanthropist are similar concepts at first glance, but there is a big difference between them. Philanthropists help those who really need support - low-income families, sick people. Or they fight important global problems like environmental pollution.

Philanthropists simply invest money in charity and try to help those who really need it.

A philanthropist is rather a sponsor for accomplished people in certain fields who cannot reach their potential due to lack of money. Patrons can invest money in the development of sports, science or culture, or donate part of the income to museums, scientific laboratories or sports sections.

Essentially, a philanthropist is a sponsor for those who do not have enough money to realize their own potential.

Who is a venture philanthropist?

There is one important area in the global investment environment - venture philanthropy. This is the direction of the principles of venture investment for financing socially significant projects. It looks like this:

1. A company that wants to do charity work has little money. You need to register, open up, attract people and get money.
2. People who want to do charity invest in this company. Each of them receives shares and privileges. And also the ability to decide where to send funds.
3. The company receives money and begins its activities.
4. Venture philanthropists control certain processes and, if they consider it necessary, intervene in the company’s activities and suggest which sectors are worth attention and which are not.

Companies that are organized in this way primarily deal with global issues. Fighting poverty in specific countries and throughout the world as a whole, preserving the environment, maintaining the population of certain animal species. They provide assistance to sick people, create hospitals, hospices, and also help in the social sphere, such as employment of certain categories of citizens.

Such companies are more like joint stock companies that do not prioritize money. Everyone who invests in this “business” gets a share in the company and subsequently adds more and more money. So there are similar projects that deal with things that are truly important for the whole world.

The most famous philanthropists of the world and Russia

Many major businessmen, public figures, athletes, and show business stars have spent and continue to spend huge amounts of money on charity. Among the most famous philanthropists of the past is the famous Mother Teresa, who helped the disadvantaged for 45 years and was beatified after her death. Or businessman John Rockefeller, who was by no means a saint, but throughout his life he donated a tenth of his income to the needs of the church. Princess Diana, who passed away so tragically, was involved in creating and equipping hospitals for seriously ill children, including those infected with HIV. Michael Jackson, despite the scandals that accompanied him, invested heavily in charities.

Top 10 modern philanthropists of the world

At the end of 2021, Forbes magazine summed up the results of the largest philanthropists (in all areas - from helping the poor to financing innovative educational programs). These included:

• Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com, $2 billion donated to charity);
• Michael Bloomberg (Bloomberg news agency, $767 million);
• Pierre Omidyar (eBay, $392 million);
• Stephen Schwarzman (Blackstone Group, $390 million);
• Stephen Ballmer (former Microsoft CEO, $295 million);
• Paul Allen (co-founder of Microsoft, $261 million);
• Mark Zuckerber (Facebook, $213 million);
• John Arnold (Centaurus Energy, $204 million);
• Jay Alix (the largest corporate bankruptcy expert in the United States, $200 million);
• Edward Bass (Bass Enterprises, $160 million).

Top 5 modern philanthropists in the Russian Federation

According to the same Forbes, the top five largest philanthropists in Russia at the end of 2021 include the following figures:

• Gennady and Elena Timchenko (through their own charitable foundation, they finance programs for the development of sports, culture, support foster families, etc.);
• Vladimir Potanin (support for educational programs, financing of cultural and sports projects);
• Alisher Usmanov (support for initiatives in the field of culture, art and sports);
• Mikhail Prokhorov (support for cultural initiatives);
• Mikhail Gutseriev (support for long-term projects in the fields of culture, education, sports, healthcare).

What do philanthropists do?

Philanthropists help both financially and through their actions. For the most part, all assistance can be divided into two large groups:

• Financing of foundations and various organizations. People transfer money to those organizations or individuals who need it. And the funds and people themselves decide what to spend them on.
• Help with other material assets. If this is an organization, then purchasing equipment, medical devices, funding research, etc. If these are ordinary people, then most often they help with clothes and food.

Both directions are equally important, and everyone can always do what is convenient for them. Many people do not trust the funds that collect money. In such cases, you can always spend the money yourself and bring something you need.

Philanthropists - individuals

There are two large categories of individual philanthropists:

• Businessmen, people with great income. They regularly invest certain amounts to support foundations or individuals. They help them solve life problems and finance small projects. Some individuals are also involved in supporting other people who cannot realize themselves due to lack of money.
• Just caring people. These are all those who help and respond to the request of everyone who is in trouble - announcements on social networks, transfers of money to specific funds or shelters, or simply helping a person on the street. Such people do not earn much, but are willing to share some part of their income with others.

Philanthropists are legal entities

Legal entities can also be divided into two groups: those who are engaged in professional charitable activities, and those who finance charitable activities as an amateur. The second category is small companies that annually transfer a portion of their income to charitable foundations. This is a common practice in Europe - almost every company considers it its duty to transfer 10% of its income to those in need.

Legal entities that engage in charity as their main activity are divided into:

• Philanthropic community. This is an association of several philanthropists who gather in one place and try to do something useful. Most often, this is how shelters are organized for homeless people and children in difficult situations. In Russia before the revolution, philanthropic communities of doctors were widespread, in which homeless people were treated for free. Now such activities are limited by law, and only free accommodation of homeless people in a shelter is allowed.
• Charitable foundation. This is an organization that collects money from individuals and legal entities and sends it to those in need. Essentially, this is an intermediary who keeps money for safekeeping and transfers it to those in need. Previously, in Russia, charitable foundations were popular for money laundering, since funds sent to charity were not taxed. Nowadays, the activities of charitable foundations are strictly regulated, and therefore this scheme no longer works.
• Fundraising organization. These are organizations that raise money to finance various charitable projects. Company employees can contact a fundraising organization and raise money to implement their projects. This is popular in the West and the USA - tens of millions of dollars are raised annually for philanthropic purposes. In Russia, the most prominent was an organization that collected money for victims in Krymsk during 2012-2015.

Why do most millionaires do charity work?

Most famous people who earn a lot of money do charity work. And very few millionaires do not invest money in something socially significant, do not engage in philanthropy, and generally do not sponsor various areas. There are several reasons for this:

1. Money helps change perceptions. Big money changes perceptions even more. A person who earns several million most often thinks about how he can change the world. In which he, his family, his children and grandchildren will live. And to make the world a little better, people invest huge amounts of money in charity. And the more money, the more opportunities to change something.
2. Social status. It's not exactly fashion, but something as close to it as possible. People of a certain income can no longer earn their status only with money. They need some more actions that will allow them to be talked about. Charity is one of them.
3. It's hard to spend all your money on your own. This is one of the most interesting and important reasons why many people engage in charity work. When such people cross the threshold of a certain income, they have practically nothing to spend huge capital on. So why not direct them towards something useful?
4. Tax breaks in some countries. In Russia and America, for example, organizations that engage in charity receive tax breaks. This allows you to save money and engage in useful activities. In Europe there is no such incentive, but nevertheless, about 90% of all companies also invest money in charity.
5. Continued business development. This applies to the owners of the world's giants. The most striking example is Adidas. A company that spends huge amounts of money on the development of sports around the world. Sponsorship, social programs, additional funding. And this is all a continuation of its business model. The company is known all over the world; many people would like to wear clothes and shoes from this company. This means we need to encourage people to play sports so that they buy brand items. Natural development, which in the meantime benefits everyone around.

Each person has his own reasons why he does charity. And even if this is a banal reduction in the tax rate or simply this is the company’s development model, it is still a good thing for society.

Reader Questions

I often see calls on TV to collect money via SMS for sick children. How involved are people in such philanthropy? What does philanthropy look like in Russia compared to global indicators?

At the end of 2021 (there are no more recent data yet), Russia ranks 110th in the World Philanthropy Index (WGI) among 146 countries. On the one hand, the result is so-so, on the other, within a year the Russian Federation has risen by 14 places at once. As the Gallup World Poll showed, 21% of Russians donate money to projects of non-profit organizations. 11% of residents of the Russian Federation participate in the volunteer movement (one-time or on an ongoing basis). During the month preceding the survey, 44% helped strangers - financially or with their labor.

The leaders of the rating are Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, where the volunteer movement is very widely developed, and monetary donations are elevated to the category of systematic ones. The United States came in fourth, with Americans donating more than $400 billion in 2021.

What is venture philanthropy?

The term appeared by analogy with venture investments - high-risk investments in innovative businesses. In the case of philanthropy, this is long-term support for social initiatives that at first glance may not seem obvious.

For example, providing guarantees to non-profit organizations (NPOs) that take out loans from banks. Venture philanthropy is usually implemented in the form of funds that finance one or another social activity or invest labor resources, technology, or training NPO participants.

The difference between venture philanthropy and traditional philanthropy is that the benefactor not only provides assistance, but also monitors the results of its use and can adjust the activities of the charitable or social organization under its care.

A classic example is the British fund Venturesome, which organizes long-term cooperation with various public organizations operating at the municipal level. When the village of Hutton Rudby needed to renovate its dilapidated village club and launched a fundraising campaign, it was discovered that approximately £50,000 would not be raised in the time allotted by the builders. Then the Venturesome fund provided guarantees to the bank for the missing amount - for the period until the money was collected from the residents (without such a guarantee, not a single bank was ready to give a loan to a public organization of residents). After some time, the residents paid off the loan.

In Russia, several private foundations are engaged in this kind of charity - for example, the Rybakov Foundation, a philanthropic organization created by Ekaterina and Igor Rybakov (the latter is one of the hundred richest entrepreneurs in the Russian Federation according to Forbes magazine. The organization supports innovative educational programs. For example, a competition is held among schools in which communities of parents, teachers, students and specialists have been created, involved in solving the problems of the educational institution.The winner receives funding proportional to the funds collected by the community (up to one and a half million rubles) for the development of cooperation between participants in the educational process.

Top philanthropists of Russia

Philanthropist Vladislav Tetyukhin
Our country has always been famous for its generous, noble people who show mercy towards those less fortunate. In Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the regions, dozens of people are engaged in philanthropic activities. Their goal is simple - to make the world a little better, to help identify the talent of those who are not so financially wealthy.

The most famous philanthropists in Russia

• Vladislav Tetyukhin, a billionaire who gave almost his entire fortune to the construction, provision and selection of personnel of the Ural Clinical Treatment and Rehabilitation Center.
• Gennady Timchenko and his wife Elena, who created their own foundation. They support foster families and finance various programs aimed at developing sports and culture.
• Alisher Usmanov is one of the most generous people involved in supporting sports and culture. He believes that every child in the country should have the opportunity to realize themselves, regardless of their place of residence and social status. The Entrepreneur’s Foundation “Art, Science and Sports” is engaged in the preservation of cultural heritage, provides assistance to educational institutions at various levels, and supports cultural figures.
• Oleg Deripaska supports scientific projects aimed at involving the younger generation in science, and supports the spread of robotics as a hobby accessible to every child. He is the founder of his own charitable foundation “Volnoye Delo”. Among the fund's beneficiaries you can also find the Moscow Art Theater School, the Bolshoi Theater, the Hermitage, the Mariinsky Theater and many other cultural objects.
• Vladimir Potanin not only independently engages in philanthropy in the field of education, supporting thousands of students and teachers across the country, but also actively promotes legislative changes that make philanthropy in Russia as commonplace as in the world.
• In November 2011, Mikhail Gutseriev was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Medal, one of the prestigious US public awards for his significant contribution to the development of entrepreneurship in Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as large-scale charitable activities in the field of education.

An example of a new philanthropist

In 2021, billionaire Igor Rybakov donated a million dollars to Magnitogorsk school No. 56, where he studied. The funds are used to form an endowment fund.

• The university held a master class where they discussed the formation of a community of grateful school graduates and endowment funds. In particular, they discussed endowment funds as a way to alternatively finance schools. It was for the formation of such a fund that Igor Rybakov donated money to school No. 56.

Let us add that there are similar funds in schools in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Izhevsk, Saratov, Volgograd, Yekaterinburg and other cities.
In the world, a huge number of rich people voluntarily give their wealth to the development of humanity:

• Sciences,
• sports,
• art.

We are proud to know that in Russia there are many such worthy people who decided to help those who need it.

Top Philanthropists of the World

Philanthropist Warren Buffett
The numbers below are approximate as they change every year. And the list is very arbitrary, given only as an example.

• Warren Buffett: Donated over $38 billion to charity. In July 2021, Buffett made the largest donation of his life, giving $3.6 billion in shares to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation (named after his late first wife), and funds run by his three children: Howard G Buffett Foundation, Sherwood Foundation and NoVo Foundation;
• Bill and Melinda Gates: have donated more than $33 billion to charity;
• Jeff Bezos (Amazon.com, net worth $164 billion, $2 billion allocated to charity as part of the Bezos Day One Fund he created);
• Julian Robertson Jr.: Donated more than $1.5 billion;
• George Soros: donated more than 12 billion dollars;
• Paul Allen (co-founder of Microsoft, $261 million);
• Eli and Edith Broad: have given over four billion dollars to charity;
• Gordon and Betty Moore: more than five billion dollars;
• Chuck Feeney: Donated over seven billion dollars to charity;
• John Arnold (Centaurus Energy, $204 million);
• Jay Alix (the largest corporate bankruptcy expert in the United States, $200 million);
• Edward Bass (Bass Enterprises, $160 million).
• Azim Premji, Indian IT tycoon, $8.5 billion in revenue. He transferred a $7.6 billion stake in his IT company Wipro Limited to his charity, the Azim Premji Foundation, which is dedicated to education.
• Californian billionaires Stuart and Linda Resnick (worth $9 billion) paid $750 million to the California Institute of Technology (better known as CalTech) to fund climate change research. This is the largest gift in the history of the university.
• T. Danny Sanford, an estimated $3.4 billion billionaire who made his fortune through credit cards, donated $350 million to National University in San Diego.
• Chicago's richest man, Kenneth Griffin, founder of the hedge fund Citadel, donated $125 million to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. This is the largest donation the museum has received since its opening in 1933. It will be renamed the Museum of Science and Industry. Kenneth Griffin. Griffin's net worth is estimated at $13 billion.

Along with the emergence of large, rich and ambitious philanthropists, there is also a lot of condemnation against them. Some political scientists believe that rich people should not engage in charity at all. Big money has no place in global demographic projects - healthcare, education, poverty.

An example of a new philanthropist

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, whose fortune Forbes estimates at $1.6 billion, is a generous philanthropist. During 2021, Sheryl Sandberg quietly gave away a total of $127 million to her two charities.

“My giving this year allows me to support and inspire women around the world through LeanIn.Org, help people facing loss become stronger through OptionB.Org, and provide financial support and mentoring to hard-working college students through the Dave Goldberg Scholars Program, which gives back "A tribute to my husband's legacy," Sandberg said in a statement to Forbes.

How charities are punished

In the world

• In 2021, US President Donald Trump paid more than $2 million for the use of his charitable foundation, the Trump Foundation, for political purposes.
• The funds went to eight non-profit organizations as compensation for damages. Attorney General Letitia James noted that the Trump Foundation was closed for misconduct, and the remaining $1.8 million in the fund’s account was also distributed among charities.

How charities work

So, we said that the safest and most popular types of philanthropy are charitable foundations. But what are they? How do they work? Let's look into this issue.

Firstly, all charitable foundations operate on the principle of targeted income. This means that each donation, for the most part, goes to specific people or an issue. Therefore, a charitable foundation cannot use the funds received for other purposes.

Secondly, only a legal entity can be recognized as a support fund. Therefore, such an organization maintains strict reporting not only to the authorities, but also to those individuals who donate to the fund’s accounts.

Thirdly, assistance through a charitable foundation is carried out purposefully. That is, a certain amount is required. The Foundation announces a fundraiser. Then, after receiving the required amount, this money is sent to the needy. Therefore, we can say that collecting donations for the couple’s foundation is a comprehensive and organized way to achieve what they want.

Money that was received by the foundation but did not have a designated purpose is also spent on charitable needs. Likewise, when more funds were collected than necessary.

How do philanthropists behave in different life situations?

Philanthropy often has its roots in childhood. This is expressed in the abundance of domestic animals: cats and dogs. From an early age, such people cannot leave a stray animal without help and take it to their home. But over time, philanthropy often becomes less pronounced, and adults limit themselves to alms, lending money, etc.

Often philanthropists are NOT doing so well at work. Usually they are saddled with a huge amount of work simply because they cannot refuse help. But more often than not, philanthropists are happy at work. They are often the soul of the team; everyone loves them because they are open to communication and help at any time.

Philanthropists are ideal for families. They will help in any situation: if the wife is tired, the husband will take care of the children or housework, not considering this a shameful activity for a man.

Signs of a philanthropist

But how can one identify a philanthropist from a crowd of millions of people? Of course, comprehensively analyze all possible factors: character traits, behavioral characteristics, special characteristics. We will dwell on the signs in more detail.

The signs of a philanthropist include the following:

1. High sense of social justice. We have already talked about it. In this case, it is characteristic that a person strives to eliminate any injustice in society. For example, poverty. He tries to donate to the poor, help in the construction of buildings, and help orphanages and animal shelters as a volunteer. This is justified by the fact that philanthropists are very sensitive and empirical individuals;
2. There is no self-interest in philanthropists. That is, they act from the heart. They are not trying to gain any benefit other than their own happiness and pleasure;
3. A special mindset and worldview. Such individuals quite often think completely differently. For example, they consider it important for themselves to strive to help and support others. strong love for animals;
4. Ambition. What does it mean? In this context, ambition implies that the philanthropist sets significant and vante goals for himself. For example, eradicate poverty. Or help in the invention of a vaccine or some medicine;
5. Participation in organized groups. These are volunteer groups and charitable foundations. Such public organizations help to unite all concerned to achieve common and united goals.

Why do companies engage in philanthropic activities?

There are many pitfalls in this issue. Since companies do not always pursue that same “highly spiritual goal.” In the modern world, it has become fashionable to help others, as well as animals. Therefore, many people use philanthropic activities as a way to advertise their cause or company. In this case, it cannot be called true philanthropy.

Also, companies thus draw attention to the problem. Since without the help of these companies, fundraising or assistance would be very long and drawn out. Therefore, companies popular among people are attracted to help raise funds.

Beyond this, a company can truly embrace philanthropy as part of its corporate culture.

There are many philanthropic organizations in the modern world.