Keep reading to discover the manner ins which philanthropy has actually developed over the last couple of centuries, from who gives and how the work is done.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, quickly think about a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for giving away their fortunes to causes that they appreciate. This is something that has been the case for lots of thousands of years, with the very first documented example of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the source of the philanthropy meaning and word, occurring over 2 thousand years back in ancient Greece. During this duration, the word indicated something more akin to 'caring of one's fellow human being', or humanism, than the restrictions of wealth one might apply to the term nowadays, but nevertheless rich individuals played an important charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the community, assisting to set up the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples as well as funding festivals and other public events. Being stingy was not regarded well, and if a wealthy individual was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the society entirely.

Many different entities have been responsible for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy individuals and celebrity philanthropists might be seen as the main charitable force in the modern world, that is not always entirely accurate, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was religious organizations like the church that would have been the main charitable centers, both within the town and on larger level undertakings. That changed with the coming of commercial enterprise when wealthy individuals ended up being more powerful, and then moved again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations started to spring up that were much better organised and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same manner in which charity is structured these days, whether those foundations are built by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or companies like SJP.

The way that charity has actually been funded has actually altered a great deal throughout the course of human history, moving between various entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has changed as various needs have emerged. Nowadays, there are a great many issues that have to be resolved, from increasing inequality to the environment crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play an important part in that procedure. Wealthy individuals with savings account that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, but so do the firms that are the main hubs of monetary generation in the 21st century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is establishing a foundation of their own or establishing ESG commitments, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.