Understanding Philanthropy: Its Meaning and Mission

Philanthropic and Nonprofit Studies

by Robert L. Payton, Michael P. Moody

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.

Genres: Nonfiction

205 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2008

Reviews

[Kate Phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for a class so how good can it really be… it was very wordy and I felt like it could’ve had all the same info in half the amount of pages.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book and provides a solid overview of philanthropy for the newbie. I know very little about philanthropy, but after reading this book I feel like I at least have a sense of what it's about- it's meaning and mission. As a starting point for beginning to learn about philanthropy, this book provided a good framework and conceptual understanding. This is not a tactics book, it's not about how to "do" development. This is a philosophical and educational treatise on the field.

Using my own words, the authors present philanthropy as voluntary giving, service, and association to advance the public good while doing no harm.

My only complaint with the work is it felt repetitive. Perhaps this was by design, for retention purposes. It's not a clean read and I imagine two authors writing it is the reason.

I am midlife and considering a career transition to philanthropic work, so this book is a good starting place for me to think about it. Of course, I am oriented toward philosophic thinking so the book resonated with me in this manner.

[Emily Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has a detailed breakdown about what philanthropy is, what it means, and its impact on our lives. I just found the history portion a bit dry but loved it overall. I read it as part of my graduate course on nonprofits but anyone who wants to help people will benefit/love this book.

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I mean sure, but this is also why people think we’re a cult

[Maha · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far I have only read the introduction in which the writers explained their reasons to write such book and who might be its target audience. They have also discussed definitions of philanthropy and how broad the concept is. Moreover, what was an eye opener to me is mentioning that almost everyone has been a part of both the receiving and giving sides of philanthropy, that I as a member of the socity is a benificiary and a benefactor.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I teach fundraising and even I thought this book was too loaded with scholarly talk. It repeated frequently, and had a lot of areas where editing would have vastly improved the book. I don't think chapter 5 was necessary at all. That said, there were some good "nuggets" in here about the nature of philanthropy, and the questions one asks when making a decision about acting philanthropically.

[Bellina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this one. What was even remotely interesting was smothered with condescending "scholarly" chatter. Should I again decide to "understand philanthropy" I'll go volunteer with the Red Cross.

[Policythinkshop Blogger · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If your interested in giving and helping, this book will both inspire you and make you smarter about how and why it's done."

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This dense text can be a lot to muddle through, but I found it helpful during my grad school course.