The Tech Industry Is Reshaping Philanthropy, One Big Bet at a Time
The year 2012 marked the first #GivingTuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, where leaders across nonprofit and for-profit industries use social media to promote the end-of-year giving season. Since the holiday was created by the United Nations Foundation and the 92nd Street Y, philanthropy in the U.S. has evolved significantly. Philanthropists are giving larger charitable donations than ever before, their grant-making process has become increasingly data-driven and their aspirations ever more ambitious.
When looking at how philanthropy has changed in recent years and the ways in which it will continue to evolve, two things have become clear to me through my work: Not only have founders of U.S. tech companies played a significant role in increasing philanthropy’s prominence in the U.S., but they are laying the groundwork for future generations of philanthropists to make bigger and bolder grants. This is particularly apparent when looking at tech entrepreneurs’ efforts to create social change at scale.
