The baby boomer generation continues to grow older and has already begun to pass the philanthropic choice to later generations. Estimates show that boomers will leave behind about 1 trillion dollars each year to family members and charities. This incredible amount of money funneling into charities, combined with the recent increase in large foundations funded… Continue Reading
Over time, grantmakers tend to evolve their strategies and adopt innovative approaches to giving. For some organizations, evolution means making small tweaks over time to shift focus areas or expand them. However, when faced with uncertain times, some organizations make more radical shifts that completely change their priorities and policies. Two major American organizations have… Continue Reading
Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 5 million Americans in the United States, and a new case develops about every minute. However, the condition remains rather difficult to diagnose, and testing involves incredible expense. Because of this reality, Bill Gates recently announced a new investment in Diagnostics Accelerator, a venture philanthropy fund working to improve the… Continue Reading
The benefits of corporate philanthropy for a company are manifold. In addition to creating a better public image for themselves, organizations can use philanthropy to motivate and inspire their employees. However, a great debate about the motivation behind corporate philanthropy has raged for some time. While some people believe that motivation matters, others contend that… Continue Reading
The landscape of philanthropy is changing rapidly with the growing popularity of charitable LLCs and crowdsourced support for causes. One of the drivers of this trend is Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Steve Jobs. She has become one of the wealthiest women in the world with her net worth of about $20 billion. A… Continue Reading
When people think of prominent philanthropists, they may talk about John D. Rockefeller or perhaps Bill Gates as a more modern example. However, this view of philanthropy is far too narrow, especially when considering the intersection of pop culture and giving. Many leading pop culture figures have also emerged as major philanthropists. One of the… Continue Reading
Women continue to play a significant role in the world of philanthropy. Recently, the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy released a study that examined the mindset driving donations from some of the world’s leading female philanthropists. The study examined previous research and included interviews with 23 women… Continue Reading
Over the course of nearly two centuries, philanthropy has increased significantly in the United States. The number of private foundations that have been established since 2000 is now nearly on par with the previous century. In addition to foundations, donor-advised funds have become increasingly popular and have largely changed the landscape of the field of… Continue Reading
When people think about leading philanthropists, many picture Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who has mobilized billionaires around the world to become involved with charity through the Giving Pledge. This pledge asks that signatories give away the majority of their wealth while they are still living. While the Giving Pledge played an important role in encouraging… Continue Reading
Recently, Bill Gates made waves in the philanthropic community with the announcement of a ten-figure charitable gift. In June, he donated $4.6 billion worth of Microsoft shares to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, his personal charity. The gift was not publicly known until a Securities and Exchange Commission filing published in early August. Bloomberg… Continue Reading