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A Brief History of Philanthropy

Episode #127

In this week’s video, Stuart Grover talks about the role of philanthropy through the ages, some of the different names for “philanthropy”, and also how philanthropy has changed in America.

Do you have any stories or knowledge about the history of philanthropy? If so, please share your knowledge with everyone in the comment box below the video. Thanks.

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Comments

  1. Chris Davenport says

    December 28, 2014 at 11:10 pm

    Do you have any stories or knowledge about the history of philanthropy? If so, please share your knowledge with everyone in the comment box. Thanks.

    Reply
  2. David Leis says

    December 29, 2014 at 9:29 am

    Appreciated Stuart’s overview of philanthropy. Some additional points – the tradition of philanthropy in North America is still dominated by people of faith. Second, this tradition of giving although not exclusive, tends to be in North America. In any case it is an interesting topic for additional research.

    Reply
  3. Julie Fraser says

    December 30, 2014 at 2:06 pm

    Thank you for this delightful abbreviated perspective on the history of Philanthropy. As the Annual Giving Manager, I am fully aware that my position, and our donors, supports the operational revenue for our organization.

    I can at times feel very protective of the people who give to the annual funds through their generosity. My mantra “every gift is important and every gift is valued” can at times feel marginalized by the shift and polarization of a very small number of people/entities making very large gifts.

    When one makes minimum wage or is a senior living on a fixed income and still provides for their community this is when a foundation team knows a culture of philanthropy exists within their organization. I realize this has become a buzz phrase and quite ubiquitous; nonetheless, not imagined. It is for real.

    Reply
    • Juan Carlos Bustamante says

      December 21, 2015 at 9:30 am

      I agree with the comments made by David and Julie, it is an excellent summary on the history of Philanthropy.

      For more information on the concept of philanthropy – checkout the link below for a short 7-minute film that conveys what role philanthropy plays in our lives:

      https://whatisphilanthropy.wordpress.com/

      Reply
      • Sudeep Mohandas says

        January 9, 2017 at 5:25 pm

        Thank you so much for sharing Juan

        Reply
    • Lani Curran says

      January 5, 2016 at 12:27 pm

      It can be short-sighted to focus only on the amount donated by an individual. The non-profit I serve (Island Time Activities) works with adults who have cognitive and/or physical disabilities. While we need income to improve programs and decrease cost to these vulnerable clients, every donor buys in to ITA’s goal of providing social, physical and intellectual stimulation for adults who often find themselves isolated from the general population. My point, and I do have one, is that all donors give a piece of their heart and open themselves to community in a significant way.

      Reply
  4. Greg Warner says

    December 21, 2015 at 12:03 pm

    Why Philanthropy Matters by Zoltan Acs is the best book I ever read on the subject. It’s very thorough and complete…. a MUST-READ for anyone serious about this profession.

    Reply
    • Michelle Horlbogen says

      December 28, 2016 at 6:41 am

      Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  5. Greg Warner says

    December 21, 2015 at 12:16 pm

    By the way… anyone know where he got this stat?: 98% of dollars come from .2% of the people

    I’m not sure that’s accurate.

    Reply
  6. Pinchas Avruch says

    January 2, 2017 at 1:59 pm

    It would appear that the first recorded fund raising campaign is in Exodus 35. Indeed, it seems that campaign was rather successful, as 36:5-7 inform us that they raised too much! (we should all have such problems)

    Reply
  7. © says

    January 16, 2018 at 4:03 pm

    Great video. Great comments. Appreciate it very much. Can someone site those statistics shared? Almost unbelievable. Would also love to hear more about the impact of government/grants in philanthropy.

    Reply

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