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Sydney Lake

Fortune

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Dolly Parton once turned down a song request from Elvis Presley. That was just one business decision that helped build her $650 million empire

Parton established her own publishing company in 1966, which helped her hold on to nearly all of her publishing rights.

saturday 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Scammers are hijacking tap-to-pay donations to turn a $20 gift into a $2,000 charge—here’s how to protect your money

As tap-to-pay makes street donations effortless, fraudsters are quietly inflating charges.

28.08.2026 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Political powerbroker George Norcross is giving $100 million to the hospital where he was born—which will now carry his name

The New Jersey Democratic kingmaker's gift to Cooper University Health Care is the system's largest ever.

27.08.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

North Carolina teachers spend an average of $1,632 of their own money on school supplies—a foundation just gave $2M so they won’t have to

Exponential Scholars, a new North Carolina nonprofit founded by "quiet philanthropist" Holly May, funded more than 3,200 DonorsChoose projects at...

26.08.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Dolly Parton’s philanthropy inspiration was her father who couldn’t read or write: ‘I saw how crippling that could be’

Dolly Parton used her $450 million net worth to do good.

25.08.2026 4

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Jamie Dimon and his wife, Judith, donate $12 million to 12 HBCUs—betting they’re the ‘springboard to success’ for the next generation

The James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation's gift to 12 UNCF schools comes as HBCUs brace for a federal pullback.

25.08.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

A $1,000 loan kept MacKenzie Scott in college—now the billionaire philanthropist is giving away her $37 billion fortune to repay it forward

MacKenzie Scott has donated $26 billion in the past several years.

24.08.2026 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Even billionaires are worried their Gen Z kids can’t keep a job—and their wealth advisors say the fear is ‘very real’

It’s a “very real concern” for the ultrawealthy that their children aren’t prepared for the future, wealth advisor Tom Thiegs told Fortune.

22.08.2026 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

MacKenzie Scott gave California public education $461 million—and let the recipients decide how to spend every dollar

The billionaire's unrestricted gifts to 16 institutions reflect a giving philosophy built on trusting recipients to know their own communities best.

21.08.2026 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Teachers in one of San Francisco’s richest suburbs are so underpaid that a philanthropist just gave each of them $9,161

Local philanthropist Maja Kristin donated $1 million to fill the gap in teacher salaries.

20.08.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

USC just shattered its fundraising record by nearly $100 million—thanks partly to the billionaire family behind the Houston Texans

The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation donated $25 million to the University of South Carolina in 2026.

19.08.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Married 69 years, this philanthropic couple died 8 days apart—after giving away more than $20 million from a hotel-and-property fortune

Roy and Nola Thompson quietly gave away tens of millions to their Australian community, guided by a simple rule: "You can't take it with you."

18.08.2026 20

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The $124 trillion Great Wealth Transfer is fully underway—but nonprofits are ‘paralyzed’ by how to chase millennials’ newfound wealth

Steve Isom, a top exec at donor-software firm Bloomerang, says most nonprofits are approaching the youngest generations of donors the wrong way.

16.08.2026 20

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Sydney Lake

‘I have a chip on my shoulder.’ Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with ‘no ties to my privilege or my last name’

But now Phoebe Gates is under her own fire for her app Phia reportedly "cookie stuffing."

15.08.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Billionaire Home Depot cofounder Bernie Marcus’ foundation donates nearly $30 million toward stem cell research for heart attacks

The Marcus Foundation has made historic medical research donations during the past few decades.

14.08.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Gates Foundation’s $540 million gift to science comes as the federal government pulls back on funding

The historic gift to a University of Washington research institute lands as the federal government retreats from funding science.

12.08.2026 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Steve and Connie Ballmer are splitting their $8 billion philanthropy into three so the people closest to the work can decide how the money is spent

Ballmer Group is spinning its three regional offices into independent nonprofits, and CEO Terri Ludwig says she'd rather run them like startups than...

11.08.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

MacKenzie Scott has given away $26 billion and rarely speaks publicly. Now she’s releasing a novel—but you won’t find it on Amazon

The billionaire philanthropist and novelist studied under Toni Morrison and is releasing her first novel since 2013.

10.08.2026 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

A Gen Z worker got called out by their CEO for leaving 10 minutes early. Workplace experts debate who was in the wrong

“Is this normal?” A new workplace etiquette debate initiated from a young worker getting in trouble with senior leadership after leaving the...

09.08.2026 40

Fortune

Sydney Lake

The tables have turned: Florida and Texas are the biggest losers in the housing market as Ohio emerges a surprise winner

Cleveland is becoming one of the more desirable markets for homebuyers.

08.08.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

California mints the most billionaires. A new index ranks it dead last on the freedom to give to charity

A scorecard puts the nation's wealthiest state at the bottom for its philanthropy policy.

06.08.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Billionaires have been flooding the midterms with cash, but one of the GOP’s most reliable megadonors just went silent

Ronald Lauder spent tens of millions backing Republicans over two decades. This cycle he's given almost nothing.

05.08.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

OpenAI’s Greg Brockman gave $5.5 million to protect the home of an internet-famous bald eagle named Jackie

As the internet-famous eagle fought for her life in intensive care, the Brockmans' donation closed a $10 million fundraiser with days to spare.

04.08.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Most billionaires are stuck in ‘slow philanthropy.’ MacKenzie Scott gave away $26 billion and won’t stop until ‘the safe is empty’

Most billionaires let their fortunes grow faster than they can give them away. Scott has spent years proving it doesn't have to be that way.

02.08.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

You need $2 million to retire and ‘almost no one is close,’ BlackRock CEO warns, a problem that Gen X will make ‘harder and nastier’

Many Americans have less than $150,000 saved for retirement.

01.08.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Aliko Dangote is leaving one-third of his $35 billion fortune ‘to humanity’—a rare move among Africa’s billionaires

The pledge amounts to roughly $11.6 billion at today's valuation, and could grow far larger once his oil refinery goes public.

30.07.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Warren Buffett is handing $140 billion to his family’s foundations. The way he’s doing it reveals how billionaire philanthropy really works

People assumed Buffett was avoiding taxes or warehousing the money. Experts say the more telling question is how he's giving it away.

30.07.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Costco’s $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline

Costco denies any wrongdoing but agreed to resolve claims it sent Washington shoppers emails with misleading subject lines. Here's who qualifies and...

29.07.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

This CEO was bedridden 16 hours a day. She turned her own misdiagnosis into a self-funded, multimillion-dollar thyroid clinic

McCall McPherson established Modern Thyroid Clinic to help millions of women who go under-treated for thyroid conditions.

28.07.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk’s reply: ‘I am actually going to do something along these lines’

Musk has historically been apprehensive about philanthropy, so his Monday statement would be a major change for billionaire and trillionaire giving as...

27.07.2026 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Money usually wins elections. Billionaires have already poured $433 million into the 2026 midterms—and 80% of it is going to Republicans

The bigger spender wins up to 90% of the time. But strategists on both sides say money follows winners more than it makes them.

27.07.2026 100

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Jeff Bezos says being lazy, not working hard, is the root of anxiety: ‘The stress goes away the second I take that first step’

Bezos worked through decades of stress to build the No. 1 Fortune 500 company.

26.07.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

A Hims cofounder fired his entire marketing team for AI. Now his 24/7 online vet service is growing 20% a month

Joe Spector helped build a multibillion-dollar telehealth company. Now he’s on to own remote vet services.

25.07.2026 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

This CEO once bought a bankrupt furniture company for $80,000. At 95, he’s now given away millions

Jake Jabs turned a failing furniture store into an 18-location empire. Now the Colorado retailer is funneling his fortune back into the communities...

24.07.2026 10

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family’s $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

The $75 million gift to establish an art, architecture and design college is the largest Huang has ever made to a university.

23.07.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Warren Buffett called Bill Gates’ Epstein ties ‘distasteful’ and pulled out of the Gates Foundation. Days later, a review revealed 30 meetings

The Gates Foundation met with Jeffrey Epstein about 30 times, an external review found, even as staff raised concerns.

22.07.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

George Soros never signed the Giving Pledge. He’s given away more of his fortune than the billionaires who did

The 95-year-old investor has given away an estimated 76% of his fortune without ever making the promise.

22.07.2026 30

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Sydney Lake

‘I want to die broke’: Billionaire philanthropist Denny Sanford dies after giving away $4 billion

The credit card magnate turned mega-donor built one of the country's largest rural health systems.

20.07.2026 20

Fortune

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Retirees wait for the day they can sell their homes and cash in—but there’s a secret Medicare ‘trap’ that could stop them in their tracks

Selling your home near retirement age can trigger a Medicare premium surcharge that costs thousands a year—and most retirees don't find out until...

20.07.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Backed by Daymond John and Post Malone, this Afghan-born founder built a $150M brand. Her real mission: the women back home

Durana Elmi left Afghanistan as an infant. Decades later, the perspective she gained from afar shapes every call she makes at her supplement brand,...

20.07.2026 40

Fortune

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Jensen Huang’s signature black leather jacket just sold at Sotheby’s for nearly $1 million—and the money is going to young tech builders

The Nvidia CEO's Tom Ford jacket, photomatched to a 2023 Taipei appearance, carried a $40,000-$60,000 estimate.

17.07.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

The MacKenzie Scott paradox: How a bull market lets billionaires give away tens of billions without getting poorer

MacKenzie Scott has donated $26 billion, but is still worth more than $35 billion.

16.07.2026 30

Fortune

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Ramp’s billionaire CEO ignores résumés and Ivy League degrees—he’s more interested in engineers who built Minecraft servers as teens

Eric Glyman looks for "proof of work" over pedigree, an approach that echoes how Elon Musk staffs SpaceX and Tesla.

14.07.2026 10

Fortune

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Meta’s AI data center cost went from $10 billion to $50 billion in under 2 years—and split the town in two

The Hyperion supercluster has quintupled in cost since 2024. Meta says it's covering its own power costs, but critics warn locals could pay anyway.

13.07.2026 20

Fortune

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A Trump Account could make your kid a millionaire by 45—but financial experts say the app’s projections come with a catch

Four financial planners break down how much your kid could really make, where it fits with your 401(k), and the catch parents keep missing.

12.07.2026 30

Fortune

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‘I have a chip on my shoulder.’ Phoebe Gates wants her $185 million AI startup Phia to succeed with ‘no ties to my privilege or my last name’

The daughter of Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates acknowledges her privilege, but says she’s building her own thing without their help.

11.07.2026 30

Fortune

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A 12-person PR firm represents De Niro, Pacino, and billion-dollar clients. Its founder says the secret is staying small

The RMG founder's default answer to any prospective client is 'no.' It's helped him grow revenue more than fivefold in five years without staffing up.

11.07.2026 40

Fortune

Sydney Lake

The billionaires’ ‘summer camp’ that media moguls built is now run by the tech titans trying to replace them

Allen & Co.'s secretive Idaho retreat built its name on media mega-deals. The 2026 guest list shows who holds the power now.

08.07.2026 20

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Billionaire John Arnold has already donated nearly half his wealth. Now he’s funding a hunt for the health risks of sports betting.

The foundation John Arnold runs with his wife, Laura, is funding 12 university studies on how online sports betting affects users' finances, mental...

08.07.2026 30

Fortune

Sydney Lake

Mark Zuckerberg takes business calls on a jet ski wearing his $800 Meta glasses—and insists ‘the other person could not tell’

Zuckerberg is convinced smart glasses will replace the smartphone—and he's spending billions to prove it, even as Reality Labs posts a $19.2 billion...

05.07.2026 40

Fortune

Sydney Lake