phi·lan·thro·py fə-ˈlan(t)-thrə-pē
The Greek root of philanthropy translates as "loving people" or “love for humanity.”
Welcome to Love for Humanity, a newsletter for folks who believe in humans supporting humans, and the power and promise of American philanthropy.
The Beauty: baseball, apple pie & philanthropy
American philanthropy is in a class of its own. True to American form, it’s bigger—in both dollars and participation. Much bigger. No other country has relied more heavily on philanthropy to address health and humanitarian crises, expand knowledge, champion social change, influence policy, and define citizenship. Who among us has not benefited from the generosity of our fellow citizens? Equally important, most of us have volunteered our time or donated dollars or both. Many regularly.
For the past 15 years, I have earned my living working in American philanthropy, raising money to support nonprofit organizations with annual budgets spanning hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars. I am passionate about helping individuals support a better quality of life for themselves and others, it’s what drew me to this work following careers in journalism and real estate.
The Broken: dollars up, donors down
Amidst our many challenges—climate, healthcare, inflation, to name just a few—philanthropy isn’t making negative headlines. Yet.
Charitable donations are declining and have been for some time. While the actual dollar declines appear nominal, there’s more to the story: namely the number of Americans who donate is dropping precipitously—a phenomenon masked by mega gifts from a handful of extremely wealthy individuals.
So far, the debate and handwringing over this crisis have remained within the sector. The general public—including many stalwart givers—reads headlines announcing historically large one-time donations; meanwhile nonprofits relied on by many increasingly struggle.
That’s why I am here with Love for Humanity. What’s happening in philanthropy is familiar to me.
From early 2005 until the economy crashed in 2008, real estate leaders assured those of us working in the industry (and beyond) that weaker sales, longer market times, and declining prices were a temporary market correction. As we all know now, that wasn’t true. In sounding the alarm (from my tiny platform) for philanthropy, I hope to raise awareness and galvanize those who believe in the value of philanthropy in American life. Before it’s too late.
There’s plenty to celebrate in philanthropy and Love for Humanity will do just that, along with sharing insights, evidence, and perspectives, and exploring related concepts, including generosity, demographic and economic trends, technology, innovative ideas and solutions, and, most importantly, love for humanity.
Join my free newsletter to celebrate and inform your own philanthropy and to celebrate this powerful, positive American tradition. And, if philanthropy is important to you, I hope you will add your voice and help spread the word. Thank you for being here.