WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Billionaire investor Warren Buffett was 2006's top U.S. donor to charitable causes, giving $43.5 billion to nonprofit organizations, a survey said Friday.
Buffet's giving -- which included $36.1 billion to the Bill & Melinida Gates Foundation -- capped a banner year for charities, The Chronicle of Philanthropy survey said.
Not counting Buffett's gifts, wealthy U.S. residents committed $7 billion, compared with $4.3 billion in 2005, with more than 20 people contributing at least $100 million to charity, the survey said.
Colleges and universities got 34 gifts from the top donors, more than any other type of institution, followed by foundations, which received 28.
Other notable donors included TV star Oprah Winfrey, who donated $58.3 million; investor George Soros, who gave $60 million; and Oracle Corp. Chief Executive Lawrence Ellison, who gave $100 million.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and his wife, Wendy, gave $100 million and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave $165 million, the newspaper said.
