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Philanthropy is the act of donating money, goods, time, or effort to support a charitable cause, usually over an extended period of time and in regard to a defined objective. A donation is a gift given typically to a cause or/and for charitable purposes In a more fundamental sense, philanthropy may encompass any altruistic activity which is intended to promote good or improve human quality of life. Altruism is selfless concern for the welfare of others It is a traditional Virtue in many cultures and central to many religious traditions Quality of life is the degree of well-being felt by an individual or group of people Someone who is well known for practicing philanthropy may sometimes be called a philanthropist. Although such individuals are often very wealthy, people may nevertheless perform philanthropic acts without possessing great wealth.

Philanthropy is a major source of income for artistic, musical, religious, and humanitarian causes, as well as educational institutions ranging from schools to universities (see patronage). Art refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Humanitarianism is an active belief in Humanism (the idea of the value of human life whereby Humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans Patronage is the support encouragement privilege and often financial aid given by a person or an organization

During the past few years, philanthropy has become more mainstream in terms of press coverage, owing to the high profile of rock star Bono's campaign to alleviate Third World debt to developed nations; the Gates Foundation's massive resources and ambitions, such as its campaigns to eradicate malaria and river blindness; and billionaire investor and Berkshire Hathaway Chair Warren Buffett's donation in 2006 of $30 billion to the Gates Foundation. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (B&MGF is the largest transparently operated Private foundation in the world founded by Bill and Melinda Malaria is a vector -borne Infectious disease caused by Protozoan Parasites It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions including Onchocerciasis ( or /ˈɒnkoʊsɝːˈkaɪəsɨs/ also known as river blindness, is the world's second leading infectious cause of Blindness. Berkshire Hathaway ( for supervoting shares and for nonvoting shares is a conglomerate Holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska Warren Buffett (born August 30 1930 is an American Investor, Businessman, and Philanthropist.

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Philosophical views on philanthropy

Philanthropy is not always viewed as a universal good. Notable thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche opposed philanthropy on philosophical grounds, connecting it with the idea of the weak sponging off the strong, a view sometimes endorsed by those who oppose government welfare programs. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15 1844 August 25 1900 ( was a nineteenth-century German philosopher and classical philologist Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Welfare is financial assistance paid to people by governments

The purpose of philanthropy is also debated. Some equate philanthropy with benevolence and charity for the poor and needy. Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and Others hold that philanthropy can be any altruistic giving towards any kind of social need that is not served, underserved, or perceived as unserved or underserved by the market. Altruism is selfless concern for the welfare of others It is a traditional Virtue in many cultures and central to many religious traditions Sao Paulo Stock Exchangejpg|thumb| Virtual market arena where buyer and seller are not present and trade via intemediates and electronical information

Some believe that philanthropy can be a means to build community by growing community funds and giving vehicles. When communities see themselves as being resource rich instead of asset poor, the community is in a better position to solve community problems.

Philanthropy responds to either present or future needs. [1] The charitable response to an impending disaster is an essential function of philanthropy. [1] It offers immediate honor for the philanthropist, yet requires no foresight. Responding to future needs, however, draws on the donor's foresight and wisdom, but seldom recognizes the donor. [1] Prevention of future needs will often avert far more hardship than a response after the fact. [1] For example, the charities responding to starvation from overpopulation in Africa are afforded swift recognition. [2] Meanwhile, philanthropists behind the U. S. population movement of the 1960s and 1970s were never recognized, and are lost to history. [1]

Political views on philanthropy

People are often supportive of philanthropic efforts. In many countries, those who donate money to a charity are given a title of good or one of great. Some governments are suspicious of philanthropic activities as possible grabs for favor,yet they allow for special interest groups (and votes/power in democracies) of portions of the population by non-governmental organizations. Philanthropics desire a government by the people who need them most and who have the least say.

Social activism and philanthropy

Social activists frequently criticize philanthropic contributions by corporations whom activists consider suspect. Harvard University divested itself of Exxon stock after pressure and accusations that Exxon's business activities in South Africa contributed to apartheid. The Exxon Mobil Corporation, or ExxonMobil, is an American oil and gas Corporation and a direct descendant of John D But when asked if they still wanted to receive philanthropic contributions from Exxon, Harvard said "yes". Some considered this morally inconsistent, others would consider it a warranted penance. If Harvard remained a stockholder, it could have voted to stop operations in the country. Instead, it sold the stock in protest.

It is also relevant to point out that the only way to relieve Third World debt, as rock star Bono’s campagn suggests, is at the expenses of taxpayers. But Bono himself has transferred his own company from Dublin to The Netherlands where taxes are much lower.

Uses of the word

Conventional Usage

By the conventional definition of philanthropy, donations are dedicated to a narrowly defined cause and the donation is targeted to effectuate a recognizable change in social conditions. This often necessitates large donations and financial support sustained over time.

The need for a large financial commitment creates a distinction between philanthropy and charitable giving, which typically plays a supporting role in a charitable organization initiated by someone else. The definition of charitable organization, and of charity varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates Thus, the conventional usage of philanthropy applies mainly to wealthy persons, and sometimes to a trust created by a wealthy person with a particular cause or objective targeted. Wealth derives from the old English word "weal" which means "well-being A charitable trust is a trust established for charitable purposes and is a more specific term than " charitable organisation "

Many non-wealthy persons have dedicated – thus, donated – substantial portions of their time, effort and wealth to charitable causes. These people are not typically described as philanthropists because individual effort alone is seldom recognized as instigating significant change. These people are thought of as charitable workers but some people wish to recognize these people as philanthropists in honor of their efforts.

A growing trend in philanthropy is the development of giving circles, whereby individual donors -- often a group of friends -- pool their charitable donations and decide together how to use the money to benefit the causes they care about most. Giving Circles are a form of Philanthropy consisting of groups of individuals who pool their funds and other resources to donate to their communities and seek to increase their

See also

Lists

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Rohe, John F. Altruism is selfless concern for the welfare of others It is a traditional Virtue in many cultures and central to many religious traditions Charity Navigator is an independent non-profit organization that evaluates American charities. The definition of charitable organization, and of charity varies according to the country and in some instances the region of the country in which the charitable organization operates Charitable contribution deductions for United States Federal Income Tax purposes are defined in section 170(c of the Internal Revenue Code as contributions Charity Fraud is the act of using Deception to get money from people who believe they are making donations to Charities. Etymology The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word " charité " which was derived from the Development Ratings is a UK organisation founded in 2006 that provides research and recommendations on charities. A foundation is a legal categorization of Nonprofit organizations. Freelanthropy was started in 2004 to help Non-profit organizations raise money online Giving Circles are a form of Philanthropy consisting of groups of individuals who pool their funds and other resources to donate to their communities and seek to increase their Established in 2007 Microgivingcom was founded and funded by businessman and Philanthropist, John Ferber, as a means for universal participation in direct charitable GlobalGiving is an online marketplace that directly connects donors with Grassroots projects in the Developing world. Misanthropy is a general dislike distrust or hatred of the Human species or a disposition to dislike and/or distrust other people A non-profit organization ( abbreviated "NPO" also "not-for-profit" is a legally constituted Organization whose objective is to support or engage Volunteerism is the willingness of people to work on behalf of others without being motivated by financial gain A volunteer is someone who works for a community or for the benefit of environment primarily because they choose to do so Youth philanthropy is the Donation of Time, Energy or resources, including Money, by Children and Youth A philanthropist is someone who engages in Philanthropy; that is someone who donates his or her time money and/or reputation to charitable causes. (2002-01-01). "Chapter 6: Prophesy and Charity", Mary Lou and John Tanton: A Journey into American Conservation. FAIR Horizon Press. ISBN 978-0971007901.  
  2. ^ Buzz (news and commentary blog). onPhilanthrophy.

External links

The Hudson Institute is an American, non-profit, conservative Think tank founded in 1961 in Croton-on-Hudson New York, by

Dictionary

philanthropy

-noun

  1. (uncountable) Benevolent altruism with the intention of increasing the well-being of mankind, especially by charitable giving
  2. A philanthropic act
  3. A charitable foundation
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