Opinion: Surge in Anonymous Giving Has a Downside

A downturn in “conspicuous philanthropy” might not bode well for the state of charitable giving, writes Judith H. Dobrzynski, a business journalist, in an opinion article published by Forbes.com.

Citing last week’s Chronicle of Philanthropy report on the recent rise in large anonymous gifts, she noted that highly public contributions can have a ripple effect on giving and help fund raisers, who use lists of wealthy givers to find new prospects.

If the “age of competitive mega-philanthropy” is ending, she writes, “the inspirational role it played in encouraging smaller donors may also be lost.”