STORIES

Charting a Course for Change through Women-funded Philanthropy

Anne Earhart, Regan Pritzker, and Stacy Schusterman discuss the causes they care about, what motivates them to give, and their visions for the future of philanthropy, society, and the planet

Philanthropists with Big Impact

In the portfolio of striking photographs that follow, we meet some of the beneficiaries of the “class” of 2019’s philanthropy, and we can read a bit of their remarkable stories in their own words.

Joan & Irwin Jacobs: On a Very Different Level

Philanthropy is a relatively young field in terms of innovation (#GivingTuesday, microgiving), but it can trace it roots to ancient traditions.

Fred Kavli: A Laser-Like Focus

A global benefactor of scientific inquiry, Fred Kavli embodied Andrew Carnegie’s observation that the “scientific man of today lives in an atmosphere of wonder, arousing all his higher powers and compelling reverence.”

The Cadbury Family: A Sweet Tradition of Giving

While the Cadbury name is all but synonymous with chocolate, the family has long placed as much emphasis on philanthropy and good works as it has on its business ventures.

It’s All Good

Social Entrepreneurs Are Combining Profit and Purpose.

The Haas Family: A Philadelphia Institution

Truly exceptional philanthropists are about as common as four-leaf clovers. So when you find a whole family full of givers, it is like stumbling across an entire field of the green good luck charms.

Dmitry Zimin: Russian for Philanthropy

Dmitry Zimin is many things. A Russian, a scientist, a businessman, and a philanthropist.

Donating After Disasters

After Hurricane Mitch struck Honduras in 1998, some of the donations that came in included prom dresses.

Fiona & Stanley Druckenmiller: Let the Gifts do the Talking

It is a characteristically direct comment. “I think it’s a bit ironic how much praise philanthropists get because …

Athletes Pursuing Philanthropy

Sports Stars are Using Their Platforms to Raise Money for Hurricane Relief.

Kazuo Inamori: Zen and the art of Philanthropy

Kazuo Inamori is not your average businessman, and that is not simply because of his remarkable success.

Betty & Gordon Moore: The Moores’ Law of Giving

Gordon Moore’s impact in Silicon Valley is impossible to overstate, and his success has brought him greater wealth than he could ever have imagined.

Big Bird: Feathered Philanthropy

Big Bird is arguably the most famous bird in the world. He certainly does not act like it though.

Chuck Feeney: Everybody’s (Anonymous) Hero

The names of the great and the good grace countless trusts, monuments to wealthy benefactors now long dead.

Bringing Sesame Street to Life

The beginning of the iconic children’s program Sesame Street can be traced to an apartment in Manhattan’s Gramercy Park.

Uniting for a Cause

After taking office in January, President Trump quickly reinstated the “global gag rule,” a policy that prevents organizations around the world from receiving U.S. funds if their services include abortions, or even providing information about abortion.

Ted Turner: Big Dreams for a Better World

As a media tycoon, Ted Turner knows all about staying in the news. At the age of 78, Turner remains a steady presence, featuring regularly across the press in a variety of incarnations.

Michael Bloomberg: Always Up to the Challenge

Mike Bloomberg is a man who never knowingly takes the easy route. He could put his feet up and live the good life.

Geography of Giving

If you live in Utah, you are in America’s most charitable state. If you are in New England, you may be in one of the country’s less philanthropic areas.

Agnes Gund: The Art of Giving

Depending on where you get your news, Agnes Gund is defined as many laudable things; a philanthropist, a collector, a patron, an advocate.

Pam & Pierre Omidyar: Philanthropists for the 21st Century

While they may not be particularly ostentatious about it, Pam and Pierre Omidyar are voracious when it comes to their approach to philanthropy.

Protecting the Right to Vote

Democracy is precious. It means everyone’s voice being heard. Sometimes, that simple concept is lost, however.

Sir Tom Hunter: Scottish Tradition of Giving

Author and Scotsman Robert Louis Stevenson is quoted as saying, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”

Mei Hing Chak: China’s First Lady of Philanthropy

Mei Hing Chak has seen incredible success in her life, often after pushing against the traditional way of doing things.

Measuring Impact

How do you measure good? That is the challenge facing the philanthropic sector. In storybooks it is easy, of course.

Sir James D. Wolfensohn: Philanthropy Through Leadership

One might be inclined to think that there is nothing that Sir James D. Wolfensohn cannot do.

Shelby White: Giving with Passion

Shelby White has elevated philanthropy to an art form, with both style and substance in all her decisions. Frankly, she is very good at giving money away.

Rounding up for Charity

IT is a truly modern form of giving. The ridesharing company Lyft recently launched an initiative allowing customers to round up their fare to the nearest dollar for charity.

Kristine McDivitt Tompkins: A World of Inspiration

Everyone has a hero. Someone to look up to. Someone to emulate. These heroes run the gamut from family members to international celebrities.

Funding Journalism

ProPublica’s president, Richard Tofel, says classical music and journalism have something in common.

Jeff Skoll: A Philanthropist for the Connected Generation

There is a new type of philanthropist on the scene. Thanks to the fortunes made in Silicon Valley, there is a fresh crop of billionaires who are eager to, in tech-parlance, disrupt the current system.

Millennial Shift

Most of them are charitable and have volunteered. They use their cell phones to donate, and see their workplace as somewhere they can make a big difference.

Julian Robertson Jr.: An Opportunity to Inspire

Unlike many a millionaire, Julian Robertson Jr. has been enjoying the opportunity to give away his wealth. He made his money in the finance world, where he is still regarded as a wizard of Wall Street.

Azim Premji: Pledging to Give in India

Western Indian Vegetable Products Ltd was an undeniably successful company. Successful enough that it allowed Azim Premji to live a comfortable life as a child in India, and later to have the enviable experience of studying engineering at Stanford University.

Philanthropy’s Fight Against Climate Change

Where there is a will, there is a way. The U.S. federal government recently announced it will pull out of the landmark Paris agreement, but environmentalist Carl Pope remains hopeful.

Joan and Sanford Weill: Raising the Stakes

Over six decades into their marriage, Joan and Sanford Weill remain a philanthropic powerhouse.

Giving, Without Opening Your Wallet

Got knitting skills? You can make hats for premature babies or teddy bears for children living in HIV/AIDS-affected areas.

Sending Hope to Syrians: Philanthropy’s Role in the Refugee Crisis

Christopher Catrambone’s foundation runs on a simple, but critical belief: no one deserves to die at sea.

Ratan Tata: Redefining Philanthropy in India

When former Indian President K. R. Narayanan bestowed the Padma Bhushan Award upon Ratan Tata for his distinguished service to the country, he eagerly mentioned that he went to university on a Tata scholarship.

Eli Broad: Building a Better Future

Building homes, building art collections, building futures. Building has long been a path to success for Eli Broad.

Disrupting Philanthropy, One Dollar at a Time

While sharing their Manhattan apartment, Mike Marian and his two roommates spent many Sunday evenings watching TV together.

The Heinz Family: Many Varieties of Giving

Henry John Heinz once said, “Make all you can honestly; save all you can prudently; give all you can wisely.”