Philanthropy has actually long been a main part of a fair and flourishing culture, however the manner in which it works has altered for many years.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, immediately consider a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for handing out their fortunes to causes that they appreciate. This is something that has actually been the case for many thousands of years, with the first documented example of institutionalised philanthropy, as well as the source of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over 2 thousand years back in ancient Greece. During this duration, the word suggested something more comparable to 'caring of one's fellow human being', or humanism, than the constraints of wealth one might apply to the term these days, but nonetheless rich individuals played an important charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were expected to give back to the community, helping to put up the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples in addition to financing festivals and other public celebrations. Being pinchpenny was not regarded well, and if a wealthy person was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the society entirely.

Many different entities have actually been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy people and celebrity philanthropists may be viewed as the central charitable force in the contemporary world, that is not necessarily completely true, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was spiritual organizations like the church that would have been the main charitable centers, both within the town and on larger level ventures. That altered with the coming of commercial enterprise when wealthy individuals became more powerful, and then moved once again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations began to spring up that were better organised and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured now, whether those foundations are established by grassroots groups, wealthy individuals, or companies like SJP.

The way that charity has actually been funded has actually altered a good deal throughout the course of human history, moving between various entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has changed as various needs have emerged. Now, there are a great many concerns that have to be attended to, from growing inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will inevitably play an essential part in that procedure. Wealthy individuals with savings account that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, but so do the companies that are the central hubs of monetary generation in the 21st century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is establishing a foundation of their own or developing ESG dedications, companies like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are beginning to do so.