A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes. The term may apply to any volunteer or to anyone who makes a donation, but the label is most often applied to those who donate large sums of money or who make a major impact through their volunteering, such as a trustee who manages a philanthropic organization.
A philanthropist may not always find universal approval for his/her deeds. Common accusations include supporting an unworthy cause (such as funding art instead of fighting world hunger) or having selfish motivation at heart (such as avoiding taxes or attaining personal fame).

Some notable philanthropists
For a longer list, see Category: Philanthropists.

Jane Addams ~ co-founder of the Hull House settlement house in Chicago.
Howard Ahmanson, Jr. ~ multi-millionaire philanthropist and financier of the causes of many conservative Christian cultural, religious and political organizations.
William Allen - founded and endowed many institutions and causes including 'Schools of Industry' at Lindfield and Newington Academy for Girls.
Michael Bloomberg ~ Donations include over USD$300 million to Johns Hopkins University.
Bono ~ co-founder of Product Red and of the One Campaign for the abolition of AIDS and poverty in Africa.
Warren Buffett ~ pledged USD$30.7 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway stock to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Nicholas Murray Butler - president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace from 1925 to 1945.
Andrew Carnegie ~ donated money to build over 2500 libraries world-wide. Founder of The Carnegie Foundations and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury - chairman of the Ragged Schools Union (during the Victorian era).
Anthony J. Drexel ~ founder of Drexel University
Maulana Dr. Abdul Sattar Edhi ~ head of the Edhi Foundation in Pakistan.
Eric Edmeades ~ founder of the Build a School initiative in Tanzania.
Marc S. Ellenbogen, Chairman, The Global Panel Foundation; co-founder The Prague Society
Edsel Ford ~ co-founder of the Ford Foundation.
Henry Ford ~ co-founder of the Ford Foundation.
Bill Gates ~ co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Melinda Gates ~ co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
J. Paul Getty ~ funded the construction of the Getty Villa, the original Getty Museum, and donated his art collection to it. Upon his death, left his fortune to the Getty Museum, which eventually expanded to the Getty Center in Los Angeles.
Johns Hopkins ~ founder of the Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Hospital
Amal Hijazi ~ a Lebanese singer, who is known for her philanthropy
Yusuf Islam (also known as Cat Stevens) ~ founder of Islamic schools, Muslim Aid and Small Kindness.
Juliette Gordon Low~ Also known as "Daisy", founded Girl Scouts of the USA in 1912.
Catherine T. MacArthur ~ co-founder of the MacArthur Foundation.
John D. MacArthur ~ co-founder of the MacArthur Foundation.
Paul Mellon ~ major benefactor of arts and education, and co-founder of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Ailsa Mellon-Bruce ~ co-founder of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Mary Louise Milliken Childs ~ Builder of the Milliken Memorial Community House, the first privately donated community house in America
Samuel Morley MP ~ founded Morley College, London and endowed other institutions and causes
Jamie and Karen Phelps Moyer ~ founded the Moyer Foundation to assist non-profit organizations in raising money for children with serious distresses
Sidney Myer ~ Founder of the Iconic Australian Department store chain Myer
Linus Pauling ~ donated time and effort and spent personal funds to bring about the worldwide ban on above ground nuclear weapons testing.
Charles Pratt ~ founder of Pratt Institute.
Sir David Robinson ~ founder of the Robinson Charitable Trust, and of Robinson College.
John D. Rockefeller ~ founder of the Rockefeller Foundation and Rockefeller University.
John D. Rockefeller Jr. - dramatically expanded the Rockefeller Foundation and Rockefeller University. He also bought and then donated the land in Manhattan upon which the United Nations headquarters was built.
John D. Rockefeller 3rd ~ major third-generation Rockefeller philanthropist and founder of the Asia Society (1956), the Population Council (1952) and a reconstituted Japan Society, he was chairman of the Rockefeller Foundation for twenty years. He established the Rockefeller Public Service Awards in 1958. Among his many other achievements, he was the driving force behind the construction of the landmark Lincoln Center, built between 1959 and 1966, in New York City.
J.K. Rowling President of One Parent Families, and advocate for social equity.
Shakira ~ founder of Pies Descalzos Foundation.
Sir Run Run Shaw ~ founder of the Shaw Prize Foundation.
Gary Sinise ~ co-founder of Operation Iraqi Children.
George Soros ~ estimated to have donated more than USD$6 billion, often through the Open Society Institute and Soros Foundations.
Ellen Gates Starr ~ co-founder of Hull House.
Levi Strauss ~ Gave to many notable foundations of his time. He also gave to many Jewish churches and organizations (he was Jewish himself).
Belinda Stronach - co-founder of Spread the Net
Mother Teresa ~ founded the Missionaries of Charity. Her work among the poverty-stricken in Calcutta made her one of the world's most famous people.
Cornelius Vanderbilt ~ funded Vanderbilt University.
William Henry Vanderbilt ~ cofounder of the Metropolitan Opera.
Oprah Winfrey ~ estimated donations above USD$300 million, and founder of Oprah's Angel Network.
Steve Wozniak ~ provided all the money, as well as a good amount of on-site technical support, for the technology program for the Los Gatos School district. Founder of Unuson.