Author: Dwight F. Burlingame
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 1576078612
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 945

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Book Description
A landmark three-volume reference work documenting philanthropy and the nonprofit sector throughout American history, edited by the field's most widely recognized authority. Developed under the guidance of Dr. Dwight Burlingame of the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy, one of the nation's premier institutes for the study of philanthropy, the three-volume Philanthropy in America: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia is the definitive work on philanthropic, charitable, and nonprofit endeavors in the United States. The first section of the encyclopedia contains over 200 A–Z entries covering the lives of important philanthropists, the missions and practices of key institutions and organizations, and the impact of seminal events throughout the history of the nonprofit sector in America, from precolonial times to the present. Discussions of philanthropic traditions in ancient civilizations, in Europe during colonial times, and in countries around the world today provide fascinating contexts for understanding how the American philanthropic experience has developed. The encyclopedia also includes a collection of primary source documents (legislation, foundation reports, mission statements, etc.) for convenient review and further research.

Author: Lawrence J. Friedman
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521819893
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 488

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Book Description
This book presents professional historians addressing the dominant issues and theories offered to explain the history of American philanthropy and its role in American society. The essays develop and enlighten the major themes proposed by the books' editors, oftentimes taking issue with each other in the process. The overarching premise is that philanthropic activity in America has its roots in the desires of individuals to impose their visions of societal ideals or conceptions of truth upon their society. To do so, they have organized in groups, frequently defining themselves and their group's role in society in the process.

Author: Noah D. Drezner
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118110331
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
From gifts of blankets, chickens, and candles to multimillion-dollar gifts and billion-dollar campaigns, voluntary support of American higher education has been part of the American ethos since the founding of the colonial colleges. Peter Dobkin Hall in 1992 noted that "no single force is more responsible for the emergence of the modern university in America than giving by individuals and foundations." Institutions are turning to private giving to meet budgetary demands. This book provides a review of the philanthropy and fundraising literature and addresses the impact of philanthropy on American higher education, the theoretical under-pinnings and motivations for voluntary support, and a comprehensive look at the mechanics of fundraising.

Author: Olivier Zunz
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691161208
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 400

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Book Description
How philanthropy has shaped America in the twentieth century American philanthropy today expands knowledge, champions social movements, defines active citizenship, influences policymaking, and addresses humanitarian crises. How did philanthropy become such a powerful and integral force in American society? Philanthropy in America is the first book to explore in depth the twentieth-century growth of this unique phenomenon. Ranging from the influential large-scale foundations established by tycoons such as John D. Rockefeller, Sr., and the mass mobilization of small donors by the Red Cross and March of Dimes, to the recent social advocacy of individuals like Bill Gates and George Soros, respected historian Olivier Zunz chronicles the tight connections between private giving and public affairs, and shows how this union has enlarged democracy and shaped history. Demonstrating that America has cultivated and relied on philanthropy more than any other country, Philanthropy in America examines how giving for the betterment of all became embedded in the fabric of the nation's civic democracy.

Author: Karl Zinsmeister
Publisher: The Philanthropy Roundtable
ISBN: 0997852607
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 443

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Book Description
Philanthropy in America is a giant undertaking—every year more than $390 billion is voluntarily given by individuals, foundations, and businesses to a riot of good causes. Donation rates are two to ten times higher in the U.S. than in comparable nations, and privately funded efforts to solve social problems, enrich culture, and strengthen society are among the most significant undertakings in the United States. The Almanac of American Philanthropy was created to serve as the definitive reference on America's distinctive philanthropy. Upon its publication it immediately became the authoritative, yet highly readable, 1,342-page bible of private giving—chronicling the greatest donors in history, the most influential achievements, the essential statistics, and summaries of vital ideas about charitable action. Now there is this new Compact Edition of the Almanac. It offers highlights of the crucial information and fascinating arguments contained in the full-length Almanac, in a condensed format. All updated to 2017!

Author: Tom Butler
Publisher: Earth Aware Editions
ISBN: 9781601090591
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This landmark book showcases the eco-heroism of people from all around North America who have protected the natural wildlands. Published with The Foundation for Deep Ecology, Wildlands Philanthropy is intended to inspire people to "take matters into their own hands" and save the planet, acre by acre. In Wildlands Philanthropy, veteran conservation writer Tom Butler and world-class landscape photographer Antonio Vizcaíno take readers on a visually spectacular tour of natural landmarks from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego and around globe. With more than 350 pages, 175 color photographs, and a large-format design with exquisite production values,Wildlands Philanthropy is a book grand enough to tell the inspiring stories of people who saved extraordinary places. From Muir Woods National Monument to Acadia National Park, from beloved icons to obscure natural areas, the forty parks, refuges, and sanctuaries featured in the book represent the incredible diversity of wildlife habitats that have been saved through private initiative during the past century. The amazing people who invested their passion and wealth to secure these scenic treasures come from every walk of life and every corner of the country, suggesting that everyone—regardless of means—can join this great American tradition of individual action on behalf of wild nature.

Author: Robert H. Bremner
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351517473
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 296

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Book Description
"According to Greek mythology mankind's first benefactor was the Titan, Prometheus, who gave fire, previously the exclusive possession of the gods, to mortal man." With these words the esteemed scholar Robert Bremner presents the first full-fledged history of attitudes toward charity and philanthropy. 'Giving' is a perfect complement to his earlier work The Discovery of Poverty in the United States. The word 'philanthropy' has been translated in a variety of ways: as a loving human disposition, loving kindness, love of mankind, charity, fostering mortal man, championing mankind, and helping people. Bremner's book covers all of these meanings in rich detail. Bremner describes the ancient world and classical attitudes toward giving and begging; Middle Ages and early modern times, emphasizing hospitals and patients and donors and attributes of charity; the eighteenth century and the age of benevolence; the nineteenth century and the growth of the concept of public relief and social policy; and a careful multiple chapter review of the twentieth century. Bremner reviews the act of giving in such comparative contexts as London, England and Kasrilevke, Russia with such figures as Thomas Carlyle, Charles Dickens, and Sholem Aleichem, as well as the more familiar wealthy industrialist/philanthropists, forming part of the narrative. The final chapters bring the story up to date, discussing the relationships of modem philanthropy and organized charity, and the uses of philanthropy in education and the arts. Bremner has an astonishing knowledge of the cultural context and the economic contents of philanthropy. As a result, this volume is intriguing as well as important history, written with lively style and wit. Whether the reader is a professional in the so-called "third stream" or "independent sector," or simply a citizen wondering just what the act of giving and the spirit of receiving is all about, 'Giving' will be compelling reading.

Author: Robert L. Payton
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 0253000130
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
“A fine volume on the moral meaning and function of philanthropy…makes the case that philanthropy is essential to democratic society.”—Choice Philanthropy has existed in various forms in all cultures and civilizations throughout history, yet most people know little about it and its distinctive place in our lives. Why does philanthropy exist? Why do people so often turn to philanthropy when we want to make the world a better place? In essence, what is philanthropy? These fundamental questions are tackled in this engaging and original book. Written by one of the founding figures in the field of philanthropic studies, Robert L. Payton, and his former student sociologist Michael P. Moody, Understanding Philanthropy presents a new way of thinking about the meaning and mission of philanthropy. Weaving together accessible theoretical explanations with fascinating examples of philanthropic action, this book advances key scholarly debates about philanthropy and offers practitioners a way of explaining the rationale for their nonprofit efforts.

Author: Robert T. Grimm
Publisher: Greenwood
ISBN: 9781573563406
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This book provides substantial profiles of individuals and families who made significant contributions to the American philanthropic tradition from the 1600s to the present. The volume encompasses men and women who significantly shaped American life by their dedication to voluntary service or charitable donations. The 78 entries describe 110 individuals (a number of essays describe entire families, such as the Rockefellers, Booths, and Guggenheims). Most essays are 1,500-2,500 words in length, but family entries range from 2,500-9,000 words. Each essay examines a philanthropist's early years, education, and career, and then focuses upon his or her philanthropic philosophy and actions. Particular attention is paid to an individual's motivations and justifications for philanthropy. Short samples of each philanthropist's writings are included, and the important societal contributions of each individual's philanthropic activity are assessed. All entries are cross-referenced and include a bibliographic list of references (print and nonprint sources). Many feature photos, and some describe the location of personal papers and other manuscript sources. This book also includes a preface, introduction, timeline, and lists of videos and children's books on American philanthropy. Sixty scholars contributed to this volume, each of who is notable for work on certain individuals or in the broad field of American philanthropy. These contributors did a great deal of original research, making this book the only source for detailed information on many of the included individuals.

Author: Helmut K. Anheier
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 0815704577
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 471

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Book Description
Foundations play an essential part in the philanthropic activity that defines so much of American life. No other nation provides its foundations with so much autonomy and freedom of action as does the United States. Liberated both from the daily discipline of the market and from direct control by government, American foundations understandably attract great attention. As David Hammack and Helmut Anheier note in this volume, "Americans have criticized foundations for... their alleged conservatism, liberalism, elitism, radicalism, devotion to religious tradition, hostility to religion—in short, for commitments to causes whose significance can be measured, in part, by the controversies they provoke. Americans have also criticized foundations for ineffectiveness and even foolishness." Their size alone conveys some sense of the significance of American foundations, whose assets amounted to over $530 billion in 2008 despite a dramatic decline of almost 22 percent in the previous year. And in 2008 foundation grants totaled over $45 billion. But what roles have foundations actually played over time, and what distinctive roles do they fill today? How have they shaped American society, how much difference do they make? What roles are foundations likely to play in the future? This comprehensive volume, the product of a three-year project supported by the Aspen Institute's program on the Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy, provides the most thorough effort ever to assess the impact and significance of the nation's large foundations. In it, leading researchers explore how foundations have shaped—or failed to shape—each of the key fields of foundation work. American Foundations takes the reader on a wide-ranging tour, evaluating foundation efforts in education, scientific and medical research, health care, social welfare, international relations, arts and culture, religion, and social change.