10 billionaires who are giving generously to the world

New Delhi: Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, were the most generous American philanthropists in 2013, with a donation of 18 million shares of Facebook stock, valued at more than $970 million, to a Silicon Valley nonprofit in December. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported Monday that Zuckerberg's donation was the largest charitable gift on the public record in 2013 and put the young couple at the top of the magazine's annual list of 50 most generous Americans in 2013.Zuckerberg, 29, and Chan, 28, are also by far the youngest donors on the list, which skews much older than last year's. The median age of the philanthropists was 72.5.In total, the top 50 givers donated $7.7 billion last year, plus pledges of $2.9 billion. “It's a sure sign that the economy is getting better and people are getting a lot less cautious,” said Stacy Palmer, Chronicle editor. Here is the list of the top 10 philanthropist billionaires: #10 Jeffrey CarltonAmount donated in 2013: $212 millionNet worth: n/aBeneficiary: Jeffrey Carlton Charitable Foundation in Paramount, Calif.Background: Jeffrey Carlton founded Press Forge, a Paramount, Calif.-company that processes metals, steel, and titanium for aerospace, nuclear, oil, and gas companies and the military. Carlton died in 2012 at age 61 and left about $212 million to a trust that will eventually become the Jeffrey Carlton Charitable Foundation. #9 Sergey Brin and Anne WojcickiAmount donated in 2013: $219 millionNet worth: $24.4 billionBeneficiary: Brian Wojcicki Foundation in Palo Alto, Calif. and Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research in New York, N.Y.Background: Sergey Brin co-founded Google, and Anne Wojcicki is a biotechnology analyst who co-founded the genetic-testing company, 23andME. Brin and Wojcicki had earlier given nearly $95 million to the Michael J. Fox foundation. #8 Irwin and Joan JacobsAmount donated in 2013: $221.1 millionNet worth: $1.6 billionBeneficiary: The Jacobs Technion-Cornell Innovation Institute at Cornell and NYC Tech, both in New York, N.Y., Jewish Community Foundation San Diego Donor Advised Fund, Dunaway Foundation in San Diego, Calif., and San Diego Public Library FoundationBackground: Irwin Jacobs co-founded wireless-communications company, Qualcomm. #7 Pierre and Pam OmidyarAmount donated in 2013: $225 millionNet worth: $8.5 billionBeneficiary: Omidyar Network, Humanity United, Ulupono Initiative and HopeLab in Palo Alto, Calif.Background: Pierre is an entrepreneur and philanthropist best known as the founder of online auction portal eBay. Pierre created eBay in 1995 and continues to serve as chairman of the board. Today, eBay enables more than 90 million buyers and sellers to connect and prosper over shared interests. His wife Pam is chairwoman of HopeLab, a Redwood City, Calif., nonprofit that develops technology to help critically ill children. #6 Charles JohnsonAmount donated in 2013: $250 millionNet worth: $5.6 billionBeneficiary: Yale University in New Haven, Conn.Background: Charles Johnson headed Franklin Resources, the parent company of Franklin Templeton Investments, which his father founded. Johnson graduated from Yale in 1954, and recently gave the biggest donation the university has ever received from a living donor. #5 John and Laura ArnoldAmount donated in 2013: $296.2 millionNet worth: $2.8 billionBeneficiary: Laura and John Arnold Foundation in Houston, Tex., and Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund in Boston, Mass.Background: John Arnold founded hedge fund Centaurus Energy, and Laura Arnold is a former corporate lawyer. Their philanthropy program supports improving the reliability of scientific research, K-12 public education, the criminal-justice system, and public-policy practices. #4 Michael BloombergAmount donated in 2013: $452 millionNet worth: $31 billionBeneficiary: Arts, education, environment, public health and other causesBackground: Michael Rubens Bloomberg is an American businessman, politician and philanthropist. He served as the 108th Mayor of New York City, holding office for three consecutive terms beginning with his first election in 2001. With a net worth of $31 billion, he is the tenth-richest person in the United States and the thirteenth-wealthiest in the world. #3 Phil and Penelope KnightAmount donated in 2013: $500 millionNet worth: $16.3 billionBeneficiary: Oregon Health & Science University FoundationBackground: Phil Knight is a co-founder and the chairman of Nike. The Knights have routinely donated to OHSU, though neither attended the school, committing over $725 million in just five years. #2 George MitchellAmount donated in 2013: $750 millionNet worth: $2 billionBeneficiary: Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation in The Woodlands, Tex.Background: George P. Mitchell leveraged a penchant for hard work and an appetite to reshape the global energy industry and made the wildcat oilman a billionaire. He is considered to be the father of fracking and doggedly pursued natural gas he and others knew were trapped in wide. He sold his company in 2002 to Devon Energy for $3.5 billion. He died last year at the age of 94, leaving $750 million to the foundation he established with his wife in 1978. Over the last 35 years, Mitchell gave away more than $400 million. #1 Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla ChanAmount donated in 2013: $992.2 millionNet worth: $19 billionBeneficiary: Silicon Valley Community Foundation in San Mateo, Calif.Background: Mark Zuckerberg is the co-founder and chief executive of Facebook, while his wife Priscilla Chan is a pediatrician. Their latest gift will support programs for children at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The couple previously donated $100 million to New Jersey Schools.(Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy)