Today, Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, founder and chairman of Fortescue Metals Group, and his wife Nicola announced they are donating an incredible AU$400 million to charity. It’s the largest single philanthropic donation made by a living individual in Australian history.
The announcement took place at Parliament House, and Andrew was accompanied by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten. The Prime Minister called the donation “a game changer in the Australian philanthropic community” that will “change the lives of thousands of people here in Australia and around the world”.
But Andrew and Nicola are not the only people to make incredibly generous donations this year. Here are just a few of the impressive charitable gifts that have been made by the world’s mega wealthy in 2017.
5 most impressive charitable donations in 2017 to date
- Michael Dell, US$1bn
On the 11th of May, Michael Dell announced a commitment to endow another $1 billion dollars to the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. Michael, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies (and 39th richest man in the world), stated in the announcement a desire to “accelerate the impact that the foundation is having”. Founded in 1999, the non-profit is primarily focused on education, health and economic stability for the underprivileged in the US, India and South Africa
- David Rockefeller, US$700m+
David Rockefeller was the oldest billionaire in the world when he died in March this year. He was known for his philanthropic giving and was one of the Giving Pledge signatories, promising to donate the majority of his wealth to charity when he died.
According to Forbes, who obtained a copy of the will, the assets he controlled – those not tied up in famiy trusts – are to be auctioned off with the proceeds going to charity. Forbes estimates that when all the assets are liquidated, over $700 million will go to a variety of causes, including $125 million to the Museum of Modern Art, which his mother helped found.
- Henry Hillman, US$800m+
When American billionaire Henry Hillman passed away in April, he left more than US$800 million to the Hillman Family Foundations, a collection of his family’s 18 philanthropic organisations. The vast majority, $700 million, will go to the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, which primarily funds charitable works in Hillman’s native Pittsburgh.
- Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, AU$400m
The $400 million is set to be divided among six causes: $75 million apiece to cancer research, eradicating modern slavery, higher education, and childhood education, with the remaining $100 million divided evenly between creating equal opportunities for all Australians and building stronger communities.
- Steve Morgan, £200m+
The UK had a record breaking donation of its own in February. Steve Morgan, Founder and Chairman of construction company Redrow, gifted 42 million shares in his company to the Morgan Foundation. With the shares valued at over £200 million, it’s said to be the largest donation ever made by a single, living Briton.
Steve set up the Morgan Foundation in 2001 to support charities across North Wales, Merseyside, West Cheshire and North Shropshire.
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