benefactor
n.a person who gives money or other help to a person or an organization like a school or charity.
n.a person who confers a benefit; specifically, one who provides financial or material assistance to an individual or institution.
“The museum was built with money from a wealthy benefactor.”
“An anonymous benefactor donated five million dollars to the university to fund new medical research.”
“While the artist struggled for years in poverty, the intervention of a generous benefactor allowed him to focus entirely on his masterpiece without financial worry.”
Often used in formal contexts or when discussing philanthropy and historical patronage.
“The Guardian, along with the Sunday Times, has broken a series of stories in recent months revealing how cash has been given to Reform and Farage personally from donors and wealthy benefactors.”
“Houseago pointed to crowdfunding, grants and wealthy benefactors as possible sources of funding.”
From Middle English benefactor, borrowed from Medieval Latin benefactor (“he who bestows a favor”), from Latin benefaciō (“benefit someone”), from bene (“good”) + faciō (“do, make”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.