In 2010 billionaires Bill Gates and Warren Buffet started the Giving Pledge in an effort to convince others with similar wealth as theirs to contribute monies towards philanthropic ends.

Consider their efforts, at least to this point, a rousing success.

According to Fortune, twelve billionaires recently joined in the program, increasing the total number of contributors to the cause (and in some cases, their spouses) to 81. Giving Pledge members commit to giving away at least 50% of their fortunes either during their lifetime or upon their death, to charity or other worthwhile causes.

Technology company executives make up the largest new member group within the Giving Pledge fraternity, led by Broadcom (NASDAQ:BRCM) co-founder and chief technology officer Henri Samueli.

Michael Moritz, a venture capitalist who assisted in the financing of Google (NASDAQ:GOOG), Yahoo (NASDAQ:YHOO), and PayPal, part of eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) is also a new member (along with his wife Harriet Heyman), joining Home Depot (NYSE:HD) co-founder and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank.

The Giving Pledge was organized and started by Gates and Buffett after a long series of discussions, dinners, and meetings with other like-minded billionaires beginning in 2009. The idea morphed into a strategy by 2010, with a 50% giving target determined simply by choice. The Pledge is not necessarily contractual, but is viewed more as a moral commitment by members.

To date, an uncounted billions of dollars have been raised by the group for various charities and organizations around the world. As for Gates and Buffett, they continue to work toward raising the number of members joining this very, very select group of philanthropers.