Philanthropy has actually long been a central part of a fair and thriving culture, but the manner in which it works has actually altered throughout the years.

One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, quickly think about a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for giving away their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has actually been the case for many thousands of years, with the very first documented instance of institutionalised philanthropy, along with the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over two thousand years ago in ancient Greece. Throughout this period, the word suggested something more comparable to 'loving of one's fellow human', or humanism, than the limitations of wealth one might apply to the term nowadays, but nevertheless rich individuals played an important charity role in the culture. Rich people were expected to give back to the society, assisting to put up the money for repairs to public works like city walls or temples in addition to financing celebrations and other public celebrations. Being pinchpenny was not looked upon well, and if a rich person was not seen to be a philanthropist, they could be ostracised from the community altogether.

Several entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although wealthy people and celebrity philanthropists may be seen as the central charitable force in the contemporary world, that is not always completely true, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was religious organizations like the church that would have been the main charitable centers, both within the community and on bigger level projects. That changed with the coming of commercial enterprise when wealthy people became more powerful, and then moved again towards the end of the 19th century when foundations began to spring up that were much better organised and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same manner in which charity is structured these days, whether those foundations are built by grassroots groups, wealthy people, or companies like SJP.

The way that charity has actually been funded has altered a great deal throughout the course of human history, moving in between various entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has changed as various requirements have emerged. Now, there are a great many issues that have to be attended to, from widening inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will undoubtedly play a crucial role in that procedure. Rich people with checking account that would make a middle ages kings blush have their part to play, however so do the businesses that are the main centers of monetary generation in the twenty-first century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is setting up a foundation of their own or developing ESG dedications, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are beginning to do so.