After a Frugal Year, 2011 May See a Jump in Top Donors’ Giving

The year 2010 brought a lot of talk of philanthropy by the super-rich—but not much giving. Just 17 people on The Chronicle’s annual list of the 50 most-generous donors also appeared on Forbes magazine’s list of the 400 wealthiest Americans.

Donors and nonprofit officials said fears of the economy sliding back into recession and uncertainty about tax rules combined to shrink big giving. But with the federal estate tax and deduction limits resolved, at least temporarily, and warnings about a double-dip recession having faded, 2011 could be rosier.