The Giving Pledge

The Giving Pledge is a campaign to encourage extremely wealthy people to contribute a majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. As of May 2019, the pledge has 204 signatories, either individuals or couples, from 22 countries, though some of the signers have died since signing.[1] Most of the signatories of the pledge are billionaires, and their pledges total $1.2 trillion.

The Giving Pledge
Formation2010
TypeCharitable organization
Membership
204
Founders
Bill Gates
Warren Buffett
Melinda Gates
Websitegivingpledge.org

Description

The organization's stated goal is to inspire the wealthy people of the world to give at least half of their net worth to philanthropy, either during their lifetime or upon their death. The pledge is a public gesture of an intention to give, not a legal contract.[2] On The Giving Pledge's website, each individual or couple writes a letter explaining why they chose to give.[3]

History

In June 2010, the Giving Pledge campaign was formally announced and Bill Gates and Warren Buffett began recruiting members.[4] As of August 2010, the aggregate wealth of the first 40 pledgers was $125 billion.[5] As of April 2011, 69 billionaires had joined the campaign and given a pledge,[6] and by the following year, The Huffington Post reported that a total of 81 billionaires had pledged.[7] By May 2017, 158 individuals and/or couples were listed as pledgers.[3][8] Not all pledgers are billionaires.

See also

References
  1. Schleifer, Theodore (22 April 2019). "How tech founders are trying to disrupt — and replicate — the Giving Pledge". Recode. Retrieved 25 April 2019.
  2. "Forty U.S. billionaires pledge to give half their money to charity". Xinhua News Agency. 4 August 2010. Archived from the original on 11 August 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010. A statement from the Giving Pledge website said "the pledge is a moral commitment to give, not a legal contract."
  3. The Giving Pledge :: Pledger Profiles Retrieved 16 May 2017
  4. Carol Loomis (16 June 2010). "The $600 billion challenge". Fortune. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  5. Blackburn, Bradley (4 August 2010). "The Giving Pledge: Billionaires Promise to Donate at Least Half Their Fortunes to Charity". ABC News. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  6. 10 More U.S. Families Commit to the Giving Pledge , retrieved 25 October 2011
  7. "Warren Buffett, Bill Gates Giving Pledge Gets 12 More Billionaires To Commit Over Half Of Their Fortunes", Huffington Post, April 20 2012
  8. Lorenzetti, Laura (1 June 2016). "17 More Billionaires Join Buffett and Gates' Giving Pledge This Year". Fortune. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
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