F
or more than two decades, Washington Life has
Education reform is a high-priority objective on the
celebrated the red carpet openings and fundraising
current philanthropy agenda and will be for years to come.
soirées benefiting all the worthy causes that mean so
The current generation of college students, for example,
much to us — not just locally, of course, but nationally
now has the option to make a serious study of philanthropy
and internationally as well. While the pressure to
at more than 30 educational institutions. With the global
give big can be amply rewarded by “seeing and being seen” at
ability to leverage networks, it’s also easier and faster than
such affairs — to say nothing of naming buildings or sitting on
ever for more people to join in and give back.
prestigious boards — the real reward surely comes from the “Holy Grail” of giving: the quest for lasting impact.
In addition to revisiting our “Philanthropic 50” by adding a host of names that have not been included before, we’ve
Individuals and family foundations remain the backbone
taken a look at a select number of institutions, mostly of a
of the philanthropic community, trying hard as they do to fill
cultural variety, to see how their operations and endowments
the gaps where government may be slow to act and need
have grown from a national base as well.
is high. Thinking in terms of “How do you get the greatest
Our philanthropists have changed their communities and
degree of leverage for your money?” many of the individuals
the world and have risen to the challenge to further so many
included in our Philanthropic 50 List are innovating new
important causes in ways that would otherwise not have
ways of giving by pooling resources and revolutionizing
been possible. We salute them for their commitment, their
advocacy for deserving communities.
passion and their grace.
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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