today
Desire for adventure and new experiences, the wish to meet new people or find meaning - these motivations are the driving forces behind philanthropy and have changed little over years. "Philanthropy" stems from the Greek: "love of humanity" and takes many forms. However, over the last two decades, donors' new expectations in activity have greatly modified both how philanthropy is viewed and practiced.
| Traditional philanthropy | New philanthropy |
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- Philanthropy : committing time, money or skills to support the development of actions promoting the general interest
- Current growth : there have never been so many potential resources available. In Germany, 40% of foundations were set up over the last decade with over 850 foundations created each year. France and Switzerland also recorded major growth in this sector whilst Americans gave close to US$ 250 billion (1.85% of their GNP) in 2005.
- Strategic philanthropy : clear impact, independent sources of information, exchange of information between donors and their personal involvement - the trend is growing stronger. Donors want generosity to go hand in hand with real opportunities. They no longer wish to provide aid for a problem but rather, to finance solutions and be assisted in this approach by independent specialists who help them to better understand the challenges and guarantee the impact of their donations.
Reading
- Looking Out for the Future, an Orientation for Twenty-First Century Philanthropists,
Katherine Fulton and Andrew Blau, edited by Monitor Group, 2005
- Philanthrocapitalism: How the Rich Can Save the World,
Matthew Bishop and Michael Green, New York: Bloomsbury Press, November 2008
- Just Another Emperor? The Myths and Realities of Philanthrocapitalism,
Michael Edwards, New York: Demos and The Young Foundation, February 2008.
