The Multibillionaires Behind 2023's Biggest Gifts

Plus, catch up on the Chronicle’s most-read stories of 2023 ADVERTISEMENT [Philanthropy Today Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. BIG GIFTS [Gifts From Warren Buffett and Phil Knight Top the List of 2023’s Biggest Donations]( By Maria Di Mento [STORY IMAGE]( Among the recipients: Harvard, Henry Ford Health, and the 1803 Fund to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland, Ore. ADVERTISEMENT READER FAVORITES [The 10 Best-Read Articles in the Chronicle in 2023]( By Chronicle Staff [STORY IMAGE]( Giving is down, leading a nonprofit has become nearly impossible, and A.I. looms on the horizon: Here are the stories that philanthropy and nonprofits cared about in 2023. WEBINARS [January 18, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now]( [STORY IMAGE]( How can you keep supporters connected to, and inspired by, your cause in uncertain times? Join us for the webinar Developing a Donor-Engagement Plan for 2024 to get tips and tactics for mapping out a year-long strategy that you can adjust as conditions warrant. You’ll learn how to prioritize tactics and communication channels that get results, keep your cause top of mind among supporters, and lay a strong foundation for year-end fundraising appeals. Nonprofit News From Elsewhere Online Once a hostage in Gaza, now the leader of a refugee-services nonprofit in Connecticut, Chris George struggles to balance the demands of his employees, his board, his donors, and his own conscience in crafting the organization’s response to the war in Gaza. ([New York Times]( Background from the Chronicle: - [In Wake of Donor Revolt, Nonprofits Are Rethinking Political Statements]( Burgeoning efforts to start conversations between partisans on both sides of the country’s political divide are attracting thousands of participants and some major donors, as Americans worry that incivility is “tearing the fabric of civic life.” ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) Background from the Chronicle: - [Nonprofits Advancing Pluralism Jump at New Grants From an Ambitious Collaboration]( - [Fed Up with How College Students are Behaving? Fund a Campus Pluralism Center]( More News - Silicon Valley’s Effective Altruists Are Remaking the Tech Policy Landscape ([Politico]( - A House Bill Seeks More Disclosure About Foreign Donations to American Universities ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - Why A Philadelphia Nonprofit Is Trying to Seize a Family’s Home ([Philadelphia Inquirer]( - Pregnancy Resource Centers Spark Funding Row Between Biden Administration, Antiabortion Groups ([Wall Street Journal]( — subscription) - ‘It’s Like Trying To Run A Clinic On A Foundation Of Quicksand,’ Maryland Abortion Provider Says ([States News Service]( - NRA Must Face NY Probe Into Lucrative Perks for Executives ([Bloomberg Law]( - Actor Sean Penn’s Charity Lays Off 28 in Anticipation of $20 Million Deficit ([Bloomberg]( - Minn. Man Gifts $172 Million in Farmland to Help Community ([WTVG]( - Faith Groups Say More Foster Families Are Needed to Care For The Children Coming to The U.S. Alone ([Associated Press]( - Meet The Leader Who Has Helped Hundreds of Minnesota Nonprofits With Financial Advice ([Star Tribune]( - ‘This I Became a Beggar For’: Millions in Donations Pour Into a Catholic School In Lawrence, Mass. ([Boston Globe]( - Donation Sparks Ugly New Battle in War Over Tech Utopia Plan ([Daily Beast]( Hunger and Homelessness - The Right’s War on ‘Housing First’ Lands in Middle America ([Washington Post]( - The Charity Tailoring Its Donations to Help People Out of Homelessness ([Guardian]( - These Advocates See the Pain of Homeless Families Up Close Every Day. It Takes a Toll. ([Boston Globe]( - How Problems at Two of Skid Row’s Largest Landlords Threaten to Worsen L.A.’s Homelessness Crisis ([Los Angeles Times]( - ‘Expensive To Be Alive’: Food Shelves Across Vermont Are Getting Swamped ([VTDigger]( Big Philanthropy - Donors Shouldn’t Get to Run Colleges, Ex Penn Board Chair Says After Exit ([Bloomberg]( - Harvard Financial Pain Grows as Blavatnik Joins Donor Revolt ([Bloomberg]( - OSF Expected to Reveal Its New Structure In 2024. How Will It Work? ([Devex]( - Billionaire Glen Taylor Announces a New Charitable Mission for 2024 ([Star Tribune]( - Michael J. Fox and Sergey Brin Take Their Push for a Parkinson’s Cure to the Next Level ([Bloomberg]( Note: In the links in this section, we flag articles that only subscribers can access. But because some journalism outlets offer a limited number of free articles, readers may encounter barriers with other articles we highlight in this roundup. SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to nonprofit news and analysis. EDITOR'S PICKS OPINION [From ‘Data Lake’ to ‘Doom Loop,’ the Philanthropy Buzzwords We’ll Be Hearing in 2024]( By Lucy Bernholz [STORY IMAGE]( This year’s list highlights the nonprofit world’s tension between navigating A.I. and other new technology while keeping the focus on humans needs. OPINION [A Post-Affirmative Action World Demands More — Not Less — Funding for Black Leaders]( By Cora Daniels [STORY IMAGE]( In 2024, let’s resolve to double down support for leaders of color and stand up against perceived legal threats. OPINION [Donor Revolts, Fundraising Fallout, and Why the Ivy League’s Turmoil Matters to All Nonprofits]( [STORY IMAGE]( Following the resignation of Penn President Liz Magill, nonprofit leaders, academics, and funders weigh in on donor influence and free speech politics. RECOMMENDED WEBINAR [Join our webinar]( — Fundraisers and nonprofit communicators know how vital it is to keep donors regularly informed and inspired by your work. The year ahead is likely to be filled with distractions — from ongoing economic uncertainty and geopolitical strife to a U.S. presidential election — so cutting through the noise will take creativity and thoughtful planning. How can you keep supporters connected to your cause in unpredictable times? Join us on Thursday, January 18, at 2 p.m. Eastern for a 75-minute webinar to get tips and tactics for mapping out a year-long strategy that you can adjust as current events or economic conditions warrant. You’ll learn how to prioritize tactics and communication channels that get results and lay a strong foundation for year-end fundraising appeals. Don't miss this chance to start the year off strong. [Register now.]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Apply today](http://). 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