Over the last several decades, there can be little doubt that the field of philanthropy has dramatically changed in a wide variety of important ways. From corporate giving efforts to individual volunteering contributions, in fact, now is a truly remarkable time to help out the less fortunate and build up local communities. Here are just a few ways in which 21st Century philanthropy is poised to meet a unique moment in history.
A Greater Sense of Transparency
In the Internet age, individuals interested in donating money to charities can truly see where their money is going. Indeed, widespread high-speed Internet access has made it possible for most Americans to do in-depth research on a wide variety of nonprofits and other charitable organizations before they commit to sending money to help a particular cause. From a financial perspective, this has made charitable giving far more effective for the average person.
A Greater Understanding of Important Issues
Thirty-five years ago, most people were only aware of issues discussed in their local newspapers, on local news broadcasts, and in a handful of national magazines. At present, however, people can read about events going on all over the globe as those events happen. Consequently, finding a charitable cause that is close to your heart has never been easier. This new access to information is changing the direction of philanthropy in a big way.
Increased Corporate Giving
It wasn’t long ago that corporate mission statements were relatively scarce in the business world. Nowadays, you probably won’t find a business that doesn’t proclaim its values from the metaphorical rooftops. In this day and age, in fact, most people expect businesses to get involved with charitable giving and pressing social issues of the day. Fortunately, most great business leaders are more than happy to help out where they can.
Ease of Payments
As technology advances, making payments to charitable organizations has never been easier. Individuals interested in making charitable donations no longer have to send a check by post to make a payment to a favorite nonprofit. Indeed, a number of apps can now help you narrow down exactly where you want your money to go. Truly, technology is changing the way in which most of us opt to help out with our favorite causes.