Giving Compass' Take:

• Ariel Scotti unpacks where 10 billionaires who signed Giving Pledge are giving their money and their subsequent impact.

• What can other philanthropists learn from those who have committed to the Giving Pledge? What resources could these donors use to make sure their philanthropy is as impactful as possible?

• Read about why the Giving Pledge might be better if it was the Effective Giving Pledge.

Billionaire Robert F. Smith shocked the world on Sunday when he told the students of Morehouse College that he was paying off their student loans through grants that totaled about $40 million, a decision that confirms Smith’s dedication to the Giving Pledge he signed in 2017. The Pledge is a call to action that unites some of the world’s wealthiest philanthropists ... under a common mission: to give the majority of their wealth to charitable causes.

There are nearly 200 pledgers who have promised to share the wealth, so to speak. Inspired by Smith’s ability to make good on his promise, we rounded up 10 more Giving Pledges complete with each giver’s reasons for signing and who they’ve decided to focus their efforts on.

George Lucas and Mellody Hobson

Lucas wrote that aiding the American education system to “promote active, life-long learning,” is his passion. To fulfill his pledge, Lucas created the George Lucas Educational Foundation for teachers to share their innovations with one another for the betterment of every student through “cooperative and project learning, mentorship, parental involvement, and technological advances.

[T]he GLEF’s mission is “to transform K-12 education so that all students can acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to thrive in their studies, careers, and adult lives,” according to its website, Edutopia.com.

Sara Blakely

Blakely wrote of the philanthropic arm of her company, Leg-UP, has been involved in building homes for impoverished families, sending women to college, funding entrepreneurial programs in girls’ schools and even made a $1 million donation to Oprah’s Leadership Academy for girls in South Africa. The mogul has also donated $100,000 to The Empowerment Plan, a humanitarian campaign based in Detroit that centers around creating jobs for homeless women.

Read the full article about where donations from the Giving Pledge are going by Ariel Scotti at InsideHook.