How the rich got stingy

The ultra-wealthy used to build libraries and public parks. Those days are over.
Hosted on MSN

Scott Bessent calls the Giving Pledge well-intentioned but 'very amorphous,' growing from 'a panic among the billionaire class'

At the DealBook Summit hosted by the New York Times’ Andrew Ross Sorkin, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized the Giving Pledge, calling it “very amorphous,” while at the same time hailing the ...
CNBC

The Giving Pledge was meant to turbocharge philanthropy. Few billionaires got on board.

Fifteen years ago this week, 40 of America's richest families and individuals pledged to give away most of their wealth. In the years since, the Giving Pledge has lost steam even as billionaire wealth ...
Observer

15 Years Later, the Giving Pledge Hasn’t Made a Dent in Billionaire Fortunes

Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates and Warren Buffett established the Giving Pledge in 2010. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images In August 2010, the Giving Pledge was born when a few dozen billionaires ...
Forbes

11 New Members Join The Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge

In its largest cohort since 2021, the Giving Pledge announced 11 new signatories in 2025 who have pledged to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes in their lifetime or in their ...
The New York Times

The Billionaire Backlash Against a Philanthropic Dream

The Giving Pledge, once trendy among the world’s richest, has come upon hard times. Credit...Matt Chase Supported by By Theodore Schleifer Just a few months after Warren Buffett convened a series of ...
Forbes

Craigslist’s Founder Defends The Giving Pledge Amid Backlash

Craig Newmark tells Forbes he thought it would be “funny” to publish an op-ed telling billionaires to “pony up some dough.” It’s been a difficult few years for the Giving Pledge, the initiative that ...
Entrepreneur

Warren Buffett Defends the Giving Pledge as ‘Billionaire Backlash’ Grows. What’s Behind the Revolt?

Warren Buffett recently doubled down on the Giving Pledge, calling it “quite a success” and saying he still quietly recruits members. The initiative faces a growing “billionaire backlash,” including a ...
USA Today

Dozens of billionaires pledged to give away half their wealth. Did they?

Remember the Giving Pledge? It sounds almost quaint today, but back in 2010, dozens of billionaires committed to giving at least half of their wealth to charity. Bill and Melinda Gates launched the ...
Observer

Craigslist Founder Craig Newmark Signs the Giving Pledge: Interview

Craig Newmark is the latest signee of the Giving Pledge. Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, is celebrating his 73rd birthday by giving his ...
The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Is the Giving Pledge Living Up to Its Potential?

A new study evaluating the Giving Pledge’s effectiveness says the 15-year-old effort — started by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett — to push the world’s wealthiest to give away at ...