What is Philanthropy for?
Does charitable giving still matter but need to change?
Philanthropy, the use of private assets for public good, has been much criticised in recent years. Do elite philanthropists wield too much power? Is big-money philanthropy unaccountable and therefore anti-democratic?
And what about so-called “tainted donations” and “dark money” funding pseudo-philanthropic political projects?
The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified many of these criticisms, leading some to conclude that philanthropy needs to be fundamentally reshaped if it is to play a positive role in our future.
Philanthropy has never been more controversial — or more consequential. Rhodri Davies, one of the UK’s leading thinkers on giving and civil society, steps back from the daily debate to ask the question that rarely gets asked: what is philanthropy actually for? The answer, he shows, depends on choices we have barely begun to make as a society.
Drawing on his deep knowledge of the past and present landscape of philanthropy, Davies explains why it’s important to ask what philanthropy is for because it has for centuries played a major role in shaping our world. Considering the alternatives, including charity, justice, taxation, the state, democracy and the market, he examines the pressing questions that philanthropy must tackle if it is to be equal to the challenges of the 21st century.
At just 174 pages, What Is Philanthropy For? is the kind of book that repays reading and re-reading. It provides the clearest and most balanced framework currently available for thinking through the fundamental questions facing everyone who works in or around giving, fundraising, or civil society. As David Cannadine writes in his endorsement, it should be essential reading for anyone associated with individual and institutional giving, for anyone who works in the fundraising world, and for anyone who has money to give away.
Reviews
“Philanthropy has never been as controversial as it is now. Davies, one of the sector’s most nuanced and intelligent thinkers, explores the complex history of philanthropy, deftly weaving together stories and insights to provide an engaging account of this transformational moment. Whether you’re a seasoned philanthropist or interested in the history and impact of charitable giving, this book is a must-read.”
Asha Curran, Giving Tuesday
“An expert on the state of philanthropy, Rhodri raises sharp questions and shares valuable insight about the relationship between justice and philanthropy. An essential read for anyone who wants to learn more about philanthropy!”
Megan Francis, University of Washington
“There could not be a more important time to be considering the role of philanthropy in society. This book brilliantly and intelligently places contemporary debates in a historic context. In doing so, Rhodri Davies avoids the extremes of being simply a cheerleader on the one hand, or undertaking a hatchet job on the other. Essential reading for anyone interested in the charity sector.”
Paul Ramsbottom OBE, Chief Executive, Wolfson Foundation
“Should be essential reading for anyone who is associated with individual and institutional giving, for anyone who works in the fundraising world, and for anyone who has money to give away.”
David Cannadine, Princeton University; Editor, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
“An unbiased analysis of the various approaches our sector engages in — equal parts historic treatise and futurism think-piece, which tries to answer the salient question: how can we improve philanthropy?”
Edgar Villanueva, founder, Decolonizing Wealth Project; author of Decolonizing Wealth
“An indispensable, eminently readable guide to philanthropy’s relationship to democracy, the state and social ethics, brimming with insights and alive to its complexities.”
Rupert Graf Strachwitz, Maecenata Foundation, Berlin
[Tweet at https://twitter.com/Rhodri_H_Davies/status/1640634890738704385?s=20 no longer available].
About Rhodri Davies
Rhodri is the founder and Director of Why Philanthropy Matters.
A well-known thinker and commentator on philanthropy and civil society issue, he also hosts the popular Philanthropisms podcast.
As well as running Why Philanthropy Matters, Rhodri is a Pears Research Fellow in the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent, and also the Philanthropy Expert in Residence at the Pears Foundation.
He was formerly Head of Policy at the Charities Aid Foundation, where he led the in-house think tank Giving Thought for a decade. His other books are Public Good by Private Means (Alliance Publishing Trust, 2016) and Rich Expectations: Why Rich People Give (with Beth Breeze and Theresa Lloyd, DSC, 2025).
Also by Rhodri Davies
- Public Good by Private Means: How Philanthropy Shapes Britain (2016)
- Rich Expectations: Why Rich People Give (with Beth Breeze and Theresa Lloyd, 2025)
Related books on UK Fundraising
- Public Good by Private Means (Davies) for Rhodri Davies’ earlier, more detailed historical account of how philanthropy has shaped Britain
- Just Giving (Reich) for the most rigorous critical philosophical treatment of similar questions
- Philanthropy in Democratic Societies (Reich, Cordelli & Bernholz) for the academic companion volume;
- Limitarianism (Robeyns) for the case that the problem begins with extreme wealth itself.
