America's thousand points of light

Donations hit a record last year, a sign of America's strength in meeting human needs.

from the June 26, 2007 edition

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American magnanimity isn't universal in other regards. Only 7 in 10 households give money to nonprofit groups. Those who attend a house of worship give more money and do so more often than those who don't. (In fact, about one-third of all giving goes toward religious causes.) And those who don't think it is government's role to redistribute wealth are four times more likely to donate than those who do want higher taxes for social spending.

The types of giving fluctuate, too, which may be a strength as donations flow with flexibility according to shifting perceptions of needs. Last year, for instance, about a third of charities reported a decline in donations. Groups involved with the environment, animals, and healthcare saw a drop, too. But institutions involved in the arts, culture, and education had a more than 6 percent increase.

The targets of giving often change because, as John D. Rockefeller said in the 19th century, philanthropy "is constantly in search for finalities – a search for cause, an attempt to cure the evils at their source." But thousands of private groups in the US are trying to solve society's problems with a broad range of approaches and ideas. The newest type of giving comes from rich, high-tech entrepreneurs. They apply their industry's standard of "results orientation" to their charitable projects, hoping to find a model of success for solving human ills.

But the best model for giving remains those groups that "take seriously the immediate concerns of those before them and focus on them, in the name of human dignity and democratic responsiveness," according to William Schambra, director of the Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal.

This Fourth, it is that shining light of American democracy that deserves a few fireworks.

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