Philanthropy has long been a main part of a fair and prosperous culture, however the way that it works has altered over the years.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, quickly think about a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for distributing their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has actually been the case for lots of thousands of years, with the very first documented example of institutionalised philanthropy, in addition to the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over 2 thousand years back in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word indicated something more akin to 'caring of one's fellow man', or humanism, than the limitations of wealth one may apply to the term today, however nonetheless wealthy people played a crucial charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were anticipated to give back to the community, helping to install the cash for repair work to public works like city walls or temples along with financing celebrations and other public celebrations. Being stingy was not regarded well, and if a wealthy person was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the community entirely.

Several entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although rich individuals and celebrity philanthropists may be viewed as the main charitable force in the modern world, that is not necessarily totally accurate, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was religious institutions like the church that would have been the primary charitable centers, both within the community and on larger level ventures. That altered with the coming of industry when wealthy people ended up being more powerful, and after that shifted again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations started to spring up that were better organised and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same manner in which charity is structured today, whether those foundations are set up by grassroots groups, rich people, or companies like SJP.

The way that charity has been financed has actually altered a great deal throughout the course of human history, moving between different entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has actually altered as various requirements have emerged. Today, there are a great many problems that have to be resolved, from widening inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will inevitably play an essential part in that procedure. Rich people with bank accounts that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, but so do the businesses that are the main centers 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, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.