Today’s Philanthropists Look for Big Impact

“New activist givers” — people who carve out a major philanthropic role for themselves long before hitting retirement age — will have poured $1.9- to $2.6-trillion into philanthropy in the 20 years that began a decade ago, reports Forbes magazine.

The magazine suggests giving by this newer brand of philanthropists will result in a bigger impact than that of their 20th-century predecessors, such as John D. Rockefeller.

“‘Traditional philanthropy was defined as waiting until you were really old and very rich and writing a lot of checks,’‘ Daniel Schley, chief executive of Foundation Source, a group that helps family foundations become more efficient, tells Forbes. ‘‘But the real power, drive, and momentum in modern philanthropy is coming from people in their 40s and 50s who generated a great deal of wealth at an early age and have decided to leverage that wealth in philanthropy.’‘

See also The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s coverage of the top givers in 2006.

(A paid subscription or temporary pass is required to view the Chronicle article.)