Philanthropy

Philanthropy refers to the actions of people [(typically but not necessarily wealthy people) who give their] donating money, and/or giving their time skills; and mobilising their networks to achieve any number of charitable, educational, economic, environmental, social, healthcare-related and humanitarian causes. Philanthropy is typically associated with, but need not be confined to, the wealthiest in society. Many philanthropists prefer to remain off the radar when it comes to publicising their philanthropy. Others prefer to aggressively publicise their actions, helping raise or alter their profiles in a positive way. In the finance world, modes of financing have emerged that seek to meld elements of traditional returns-based investing with elements of philanthropy. Social Impact Bonds, where returns are only paid to donors if specific project targets are met, is a relatively recent example.