The first thing zillionaires do is create a tax-exempt foundation and pour all their money into it where they have total control and side-step the IRS.
All it would take is one little tweak to the tax code. Who has the courage to take the Big Boys on?
Rank
Name/(state)
Assets
As of
Fiscal Year
End Date
1.Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (WA)$37,430,150,45812/31/2010
2.Ford Foundation (NY)10,498,932,62109/30/2011
3.J. Paul Getty Trust (CA)10,483,398,70806/30/2011
4.The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (NJ)9,199,687,45612/31/2010
5.W. K. Kellogg Foundation (MI)7,696,627,04008/31/2011
6.The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (CA)7,377,220,54612/31/2010
7.The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (CA)6,100,637,47812/31/2010
8.The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (IL)5,737,270,33412/31/2010
9.Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (CA)5,585,288,76312/31/2010
10.The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (NY)5,490,877,29112/31/2010
11.Lilly Endowment Inc. (IN)5,184,625,64712/31/2010
12.The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (NY)4,143,880,20303/31/2011
13.Tulsa Community Foundation (OK)4,022,451,00012/31/2010
14.The William Penn Foundation (PA)3,987,087,21712/31/2010
15.The California Endowment (CA)3,745,324,05603/31/2011
16.The Rockefeller Foundation (NY)3,593,289,62912/31/2010
17.The Kresge Foundation (MI)3,276,968,95212/31/2010
18.The Duke Endowment (NC)2,837,905,17012/31/2011
19.Foundation to Promote Open Society (NY)2,817,446,41612/31/2010
20.The Annie E. Casey Foundation (MD)2,797,729,74812/31/2010
21.Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Inc. (GA)2,795,111,90912/31/2011
22.The Bloomberg Family Foundation, Inc. (NY)2,734,103,73712/31/2010
23.The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation (NE)2,584,393,42612/31/2010
24.Carnegie Corporation of New York (NY)2,548,230,21109/30/2011
25.Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (CA)2,140,385,89412/31/2010
26.Charles Stewart Mott Foundation (MI)2,130,000,00012/31/2011
27.Silicon Valley Community Foundation (CA)2,081,920,00012/31/2011
28.The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc. (MD)2,072,697,34902/28/2011
29.Kimbell Art Foundation (TX)2,059,995,93712/31/2010
30.John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (FL)2,036,153,51312/31/2011
31.Richard King Mellon Foundation (PA)2,018,377,84612/31/2010
32.The McKnight Foundation (MN)1,982,175,00012/31/2011
33.Margaret A. Cargill Foundation (MN)1,968,309,98812/31/2010
34.John Templeton Foundation (PA)1,939,387,57012/31/2010
35.Casey Family Programs (WA)1,935,207,12112/31/2009
36.The New York Community Trust (NY)1,908,884,58012/31/2011
37.Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (MO)1,881,375,00012/31/2010
38.The Simons Foundation (NY)1,862,188,78112/31/2010
39.The Cleveland Foundation (OH)1,816,947,05712/31/2011
40.Annenberg Foundation (CA)1,720,105,77106/30/2011
41.Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (NY)1,716,471,99112/31/2010
42.Eli & Edythe Broad Foundation (CA)1,689,096,79812/31/2010
43.Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (NY)1,653,512,81212/31/2011
44.The Chicago Community Trust (IL)1,595,765,50109/30/2010
45.The James Irvine Foundation (CA)1,589,353,53312/31/2010
46.Houston Endowment Inc. (TX)1,527,022,39112/31/2010
47.The Heinz Endowments (PA)1,470,209,10412/31/2010
48.The Wallace Foundation (NY)1,410,919,60712/31/2010
49.The Starr Foundation (NY)1,342,712,92712/31/2010
50.Walton Family Foundation, Inc. (AR)1,282,168,11312/31/2010
51.California Community Foundation (CA)1,242,402,00006/30/2011
52.Daniels Fund (CO)1,207,849,55512/31/2011
53.Marin Community Foundation (CA)1,207,464,12906/30/2011
54.Greater Kansas City Community Foundation (MO)1,189,480,45912/31/2010
55.The Moody Foundation (TX)1,175,095,52812/31/2010
56.Lumina Foundation (IN)1,156,840,10412/31/2010
57.Open Society Institute (NY)1,141,004,09712/31/2010
58.Barr Foundation (MA)1,134,513,13312/31/2010
59.The Anschutz Foundation (CO)1,133,090,47111/30/2010
60.The Brown Foundation, Inc. (TX)1,115,833,75606/30/2011
61.The San Francisco Foundation (CA)1,101,069,00006/30/2011
62.The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. (OK)1,096,656,79612/31/2011
63.The Columbus Foundation and Affiliated Organizations (OH)1,061,039,48612/31/2010
64.The Oregon Community Foundation (OR)1,040,106,34312/31/2009
65.W. M. Keck Foundation (CA)1,022,800,00012/31/2011
66.Bat Hanadiv Foundation No. 3 (NY)953,358,56512/31/2010
67.The Ahmanson Foundation (CA)938,736,09710/31/2011
68.The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation (TX)934,701,11412/31/2010
69.Robertson Foundation (NY)874,038,50311/30/2010
70.Surdna Foundation, Inc. (NY)867,363,67906/30/2011
71.The Freedom Forum, Inc. (DC)867,021,67112/31/2010
72.Boston Foundation, Inc. (MA)859,510,00006/30/2011
73.Druckenmiller Foundation (NY)852,353,11911/30/2011
74.Shimon ben Joseph Foundation (CA)837,220,91412/31/2010
75.Cummings Foundation (MA)834,371,06912/31/2010
76.The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation (NY)831,854,46609/30/2011
77.The Pittsburgh Foundation (PA)821,409,07512/31/2010
78.Hall Family Foundation (MO)816,078,89312/31/2010
79.The Joyce Foundation (IL)808,480,40112/31/2010
80.The California Wellness Foundation (CA)794,337,70212/31/2011
81.Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Inc. (NY)789,378,03512/31/2010
82.M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust (WA)786,828,15112/31/2011
83.The Broad Art Foundation (CA)772,439,65712/31/2010
84.Communities Foundation of Texas, Inc. (TX)769,107,00006/30/2011
85.The J. E. and L. E. Mabee Foundation, Inc. (OK)768,175,00208/31/2011
86.Hartford Foundation for Public Giving (CT)762,222,90012/31/2010
87.Otto Bremer Foundation (MN)761,362,28812/31/2011
88.Engelstad Family Foundation (NV)758,280,82612/31/2010
89.The Ford Family Foundation (OR)745,185,71212/31/2010
90.Bush Foundation (MN)740,000,00012/31/2011
91.The Packard Humanities Institute (CA)732,975,55812/31/2010
92.The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (GA)723,793,30012/31/2011
93.The Meadows Foundation, Inc. (TX)720,435,66212/31/2010
94.Weingart Foundation (CA)718,445,60706/30/2011
95.The Henry Luce Foundation, Inc. (NY)713,105,55812/31/2011
96.Laura and John Arnold Foundation (TX)711,626,51512/31/2010
97.Foundation For The Carolinas (NC)711,620,77712/31/2009
98.The Saint Paul Foundation (MN)702,560,29312/31/2010
99.The Commonwealth Fund (NY)690,193,06906/30/2011
100.Jack Kent Cooke Foundation (VA)680,297,31505/31/2011
Source: http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/topfunders/top100assets.html
