Thanks to media coverage of large donors such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, most people are familiar with the concept of modern philanthropy, which generally refers to the act of providing grant dollars in order to achieve a desired outcome or impact for people and communities. Organized philanthropy has grown dramatically over the past few decades. According to the Foundation Center,in 1975, almost 22,000 foundations accounted for $1.94 billion in annual giving; in 2009 there were well over 75,000 foundations that contributed nearly $43 billion.Foundation assets have also swelled—growing from $30 billion in 1975 to more than $680 billion in 2009.

As the number of private foundations increases, the diversification of the ways and means through which people give is also on the rise. Significant developments include the creation of charitable gift funds operated by large financial institutions; the rapid growth of donor-advised funds at community foundations; the popularity of online giving and use of social media to support causes; and the expansion of pooled funds such as giving circles.

While organized philanthropy continues to grow and adapt to ever-changing social and economic trends, it is important to note that contributions by individuals remain by far the single largest source of charitable dollars in the United States,accounting for more than 75 percent of total giving each year.

Some current trends in giving...

Giving Circles
Over the past decade, giving circles have emerged as a new and growing trend in hands-on philanthropy.  Giving circles are formed when individuals come together - often friends, neighbors, or co-workers - around a common cause and pool their charitable dollars to have greater impact.

>> To find out more about giving circles, click on the graphic to the right to visit the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers' Giving Circles Knowledge Center.

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"Giving While Living"
Giving While Living is a philosophy whereby individuals and families choose to devote their funds - and often their skills and time as well - to charitable causes during their lifetime rather than bequeathing funds to a foundation or charity after their death. Many donors find this approach yields enormous benefits and satisfaction, allowing them to experience first-hand the impact of their gifts.

>> Published by The Atlantic Philanthropies, the report "Turning Passion Into Action: Giving While Living" contains the inspiring stories of 11 philanthropists who have embraced the "giving while living" philosophy, including Atlantic's founder Charles A. Feeney.

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Disaster Grantmaking
Recent years have seen an unprecedented number of disasters that have garnered the world's attention -- as well as their dollars.  Starting in 2001 with September 11, followed by the Asian Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, and more recently the devastating earthquake in Haiti, both individuals and institutions worldwide have made unprecedented donations for relief and recovery efforts. Because of the immediacy of the need created by disasters, some people have dubbed this phenomenon flash giving.

>> To learn more about best practices for disaster grantmaking, download
Disaster Grantmaking: A Practical Guide for Foundations and Corporations (PDF)

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Technology and Social Networking
As the world becomes increasingly dependent on technology, people are finding new and creative ways to both raise and donate funds through web-based tools.  Online charity search sites and giving portals, mobile devices as a new "channel" for giving, and peer-to-peer fundraising through social networking sites are just a few examples of how technology is transforming how we give.

Who's Blogging?

Want to keep up on the hot topics and latest trends in philanthropy? Check out these blogs:

Deep Social Impact

The Intrepid Philanthropist Blog

Philanthropy411

PhilanTopic

Tactical Philanthropy

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