Why the wealthy give: A study of elite philanthropy in New York City

This study examines the philanthropic attitudes and practices of elite donors who live and/or work in the New York City area. It is based primarily on 99 personal interviews conducted by the author, and also on a database of 12,289 gifts made to a set of large New York nonprofit organizations compiled for the study.;Philanthropy is analyzed in terms of its relationship to the social organization and values of elites. Symbolically, by fostering a sense of social identity and similarity, and organizationally, by facilitating interaction among elites, philanthropy is one of the activities that defines the character, culture, and boundaries of elite life.;The study first considers the normative and ideological bases of elite philanthropy, as well as paths to philanthropic involvement. Giving is also considered in relation to attitudes towards wealth and inheritance.;Moving to the social context of giving, the study shows that philanthropy develops and is carried out within the relatively isolated boundaries of elite life. The source, direction, and meaning of philanthropy to donors is shaped by the specifically elite context in which it occurs. Dominant characteristics that contribute to the specifically "elite" nature of giving are identified and interpreted, including the fact that: (a) Donations are typically accompanied by other, nondonative relationships between donors and recipient organizations, and donors and other people and; (b) culture and education are popular as recipients of major gifts among donors who differ in many ways. Striking variations are shown, since neither philanthropy nor elites are monolithic.;Philanthropy grows out of donors' own experiences and attachments. Since these may be numerous and varied, the study argues that the key to understanding philanthropy is to trace the various attachments, their interrelationships, and relative strengths--all within the context of elite ideologies, attitudes towards wealth, and conceptions of prestige.