This Wall Street Journal best seller, USA Today best seller and Canadian Book Club Awards winner is filled with inspiring, true stories about how one small deed can make a world of difference. Elegant and wise (Deepak Chopra), The most uplifting and life-affirming book in years (Forbes).

This might be the most beautiful book I've ever read. It's lifted my soul and brought me to tears in all the right ways (Jane Green, author of 18 New York Times best sellers).

Brad Aronson's life changed in an instant when his wife, Mia, was diagnosed with leukemia. After her diagnosis, Brad spent most of the next two and a half years either by her side as she received treatment or trying to shield their five-year-old son, Jack, from the worst of Mia's illness. Amid the stress and despair of waiting for the treatment to work, Brad and Mia were met by an outpouring of kindness from friends, family and even complete strangers.

Inspired by the many demonstrations of humankindness that supported their family through Mia's recovery, Brad began writing about the people who rescued his family from that dark time, often with the smallest of gestures. But he didn't stop there. Knowing that simple acts of kindness transform lives across the globe every day, he sought out these inspirational stories and shares the most heartwarming ones here.

In HumanKind you'll meet a mentor who changed a child's life with a single lesson in shoe tying; an inspiring six-year-old who launched a global kindness movement; a band of seamstress grandmothers who descend on Philadelphia every week to patch clothes -- and, in the process, mend hearts-- for homeless people; and many other heroes.

Brad also provides dozens of ways you can make a difference in others' lives through the simplest words and deeds. From a $200 donation that can cure someone's blindness to letters of encouragement you can send to nonprofits that deliver mail to hospitalized kids, lonely seniors and others in need, you'll be amazed how far a little kindness goes.

All author royalties from this uplifting best seller go to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Hali Lee is redefining philanthropy for the twenty-first century. Her activism and generosity are exemplary, and this book celebrates the beauty of community giving, and the power of collective action. --Ayesha Curry, Sweet July Books

Through compelling and diverse stories about the power of giving circles, Hali Lee demonstrates that true philanthropic impact comes from collective action and community engagement...she fosters deeper connections and paves the way for a more equitable future for all. --Jamia Wilson, award-winning author of Young, Gifted and Black and coauthor of Road Map for Revolutionaries and Together We Rise

Drawing from the experiences of real-life giving circles, philanthropy leader Hali Lee challenges our traditional understanding of giving, showing how everyday people can take back philanthropy from the billionaires and make the world a better place.

When you think of philanthropy, what do you envision? Uber wealthy donors? Extravagant galas? In recent decades, philanthropy has come to be seen as something exclusive to those with an abundance of resources. But giving doesn't have to mean donating millions of dollars. It can be as simple as a group of people who come together to do something good in their community. In The Big We, Hali Lee argues that the future of philanthropy belongs to community action, specifically giving circles--groups of people who come together to pool their resources to make positive change. Born of traditions of generosity rooted in many of our ancestral cultures, giving circles provide a way for us to overcome our sense of overwhelm at the many problems we face by learning, acting, and giving together.

Through stories of real giving circles around the country, including her own experience starting the Asian Women Giving Circle, Lee shows us a more expansive vision for the future of philanthropy. One led by people who are refocusing on community, who care about rebuilding the civic space, and who are yearning for connection, purpose, and shared vision. Through these giving circles do we see not only the immense impact we can have in our own backyards, but also the tremendous scope of change we can achieve through the power of collective action.

A manifesto and guide for building mutual aid groups and reclaiming power in a time of perpetual crisis

We are living through a Long Emergency: a near-continuous train of pandemics, heatwaves, droughts, resource wars and other climate-driven disasters. In Lifehouse, Adam Greenfield asks what might happen if the tactics and networks of care that spring up in response to these times might be brought together in a single, coherent way of life?

Using examples from the Black Panthers' survival programs, the astonishingly effective Occupy Sandy disaster-relief effort and the neighborhood-based mutual aid groups that sustained many during COVID lockdowns to the large-scale, self-organised polities of municipalist Spain and Kurdish Rojava, Greenfield argues for rethinking local power as a bulwark against despair -- a way to discover and develop the individual and collective capacities that have gone underutilized during all the long years of late capitalism, and a means for thriving in the face of impending catastrophe.

A must-read for anyone in philanthropy, particularly those who question whether and how philanthropic resources can address the current, complex challenges our world faces. --Nick Tedesco, president and chief executive officer of the National Center for Family Philanthropy

A blueprint for how wealth can be transformed into a more just and sustainable future in times of rapid change and crisis.

On the cusp of the greatest wealth transfer in history--with $84 trillion dollars moving between generations in the next 20 years--this book explores how philanthropy can be transformative, and transformed.

Can philanthropy be an anti-racist, feminist, relational, and joyful expression of solidarity?

This book argues that it not only can be--for the future we seek, and for philanthropy to achieve its greatest impact, it must be.

Nationally recognized philanthropic leader Dimple Abichandani revolutionizes the precepts of modern philanthropy. Offering 10 provocative practice shifts, A New Era of Philanthropy engages readers with fresh answers to the question of how philanthropy can meet this high-stakes moment--from reimagining governance to aligning investments to crisis funding and beyond.

Abichandani highlights paradigm shifts that model the way forward, moving beyond critique into real transformation, with relatable stories about funders who are forging a new era of philanthropy.

A New Era of Philanthropy picks up where key books like Decolonizing Wealth and Winners Take All leave off, offering a guide for donors, foundations, and non-profit leaders navigating philanthropy in urgent times. Clear-eyed, hopeful, and responsive to the moment, this book helps us reimagine the purpose and norms of modern philanthropy. It is an invitation to all of us who believe these resources can contribute to a more just future: start here.

If you want to help create a more equitable world but don't know where to start, Infectious Generosity is for you.--Bill Gates, GatesNotes

The bestselling author, media pioneer, and curator of TED explores one of humankind's defining but overlooked impulses, and how we can super-charge its potential to build a hopeful future

Let's face it: Recent years have been tough on optimists. Hopes that the Internet might bring people together have been crushed by the ills of social media. Is there a way back?

As head of TED, Chris Anderson has had a ringside view of the world's boldest thinkers sharing their most uplifting ideas. Inspired by them, he believes that it's within our grasp to turn outrage back into optimism. It all comes down to reimagining one of the most fundamental human virtues: generosity. What if generosity could become infectious generosity? Consider

- how a London barber began offering haircuts to people experiencing homelessness--and catalyzed a movement
- how two anonymous donors gave $10,000 each to two hundred strangers and discovered that most recipients wanted to pay it forward with their own generous acts
- how TED itself transformed from a niche annual summit into a global beacon of ideas by giving away talks online, allowing millions access to free learning

In telling these inspiring stories, Anderson has given us the first page-turner ever written about human generosity (Elizabeth Dunn). More important, he offers a playbook for how to embark on our own generous acts--whether gifts of money, time, talent, connection, or kindness--and to prime them, thanks to the Internet, to have self-replicating, even world-changing, impact.

Andrew Carnegie wrote his original Gospel of Wealth in 1889, during the height of the gilded age, when the country's 4,000 richest families held almost as much wealth as the other 11.6 million American families combined. His essay laid the foundation for modern philanthropy.

Today, we find ourselves in a new gilded age--defined by levels of inequality that far surpass those of Carnegie's time. The widening chasm between haves and have-nots demands our immediate attention.

Now is the time for a new Gospel of Wealth.

In From Generosity to Justice: A New Gospel of Wealth, Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, articulates a bold vision for philanthropy in the twenty-first century. With contributions from an array of thinkers, activists, and leaders including Ai-jen Poo, Laurene Powell Jobs, David Rockefeller Jr., and Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, Walker challenges and emboldens readers to consider philanthropy as a tool for achieving economic, social, and political justice.

That task requires humility, moral courage, and an unwavering commitment to democratic values and institutions. It demands that all members of society recognize their own privilege and position, address the root causes of social ills, and seek out and listen to those who live amid and experience injustice.

What began in Carnegie's day as a manual for generosity now becomes a guide that moves us closer to justice--a guide that helps each of us find a way to contribute.

Justice is calling. It's time we answer.

A love letter to the changemakers who are working tirelessly toward building a more just future.

Through coaching, truth-telling and guided reflections, Say The Quiet Part Out Loud brings its readers to the summit of an anti-racism and anti-oppression journey, allowing the readers to be seen, challenged and more liberated in how they show up. This book is a reminder that you don't need permission to change the world.

Helping entrepreneurs scale.

Transforming purpose into action.

Driving social change through planning and execution.

From Vision to Impact: The Secrets to Building a Successful Social Enterprise is an essential guide for entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs, particularly those from diverse background. This book provides an invaluable toolkit for turning visionary ideas into impactful realities, emphasizing the importance of a purpose-driven mission, strategic planning, financial acumen, and a culture of inclusivity and resilience.

Earl's insights are tailored to empower leaders and entrepreneurs facing challenges, offering strategies to overcome systemic barriers, foster supportive networks, and build enterprises that not only thrive financially but also create significant social change. By harnessing the wisdom and experience encapsulated in this book, entrepreneurs from all walks of life will find the inspiration and practical advice needed to lead successful, transformative social enterprises.

In Rethinking Charity, Ismael Hernandez explores the theoretical foundations of charity and applies person-centered insights to the practical work of poverty relief. The result is a compelling vision of the poor not as nameless victims but as free, responsible, and creative image-bearers who possess a value far greater than their need. Too much of the conversation about poverty, whether in government, among social service providers, or in churches, is animated by highly emotional conventions, trite melodramatic comparisons, and comfortable ideological cliches. Rethinking Charity offers an exciting alternative and opportunity to engage and walk alongside those in need.

If we are to effectively engage the perennial problems of poverty in its full dimensions-spiritual and relational as well as material-then we need those who see clearly and are willing to speak the truth that they see. Hernandez sees clearly, and he is courageous enough to proclaim the truth that he sees. We would all do well to listen to him.

Jordan J. Ballor

Director of Research

Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy at First Liberty Institute

In his enlightening new work, Hernandez masterfully challenges the conventional emotive approach to poverty with a refreshing and intellectually rigorous exploration of Catholic Social Teaching... A must-read for anyone serious about the real solutions to poverty that respect the dignity and potential of every human being.

Andreas Widmer

Director of the Arthur & Carlyse Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship

The Catholic University of America

The real solutions that lead to a marked change in the landscape of homelessness and how communities can follow Switchpoint's tactics and methods for a sustainable impact.

Ending homelessness requires individuals and organizations to drop the ego and embrace the philosophy of EGI (Everyone Gets Involved). As a co-op built to make sustainable positive change in the community, Switchpoint has enacted a path that others can follow in identifying problems, finding solutions, and taking actions that lead to permanent changes. Switchpoint's community center provides the homeless community with services that go far beyond food and shelter, creating steppingstones to independence for persons living in homelessness and poverty. Now offering an outline of the Switchpoint process, Get Going shows the incredible progress made when communities come together.

Get Going offers community leaders and non-profit service providers in the homeless arena an empowering set of tactics to help end homelessness. Jam-packed with stories of the real lives changed in communities willing to come together, Get Going makes an inspiring read that also acts as a triumphant call to action for all those willing to step up and be the change they are looking for in their communities.

In the first book on philanthropy written from a donor's perspective, businesswoman and philanthropist Lisa Greer lifts the lid on our charitable sector, with an authentic account that describes exactly how outdated the sector has become and why it's at risk of collapse.

Weaving in her story of instant wealth and philanthropy, Lisa showcases the latest research, as well as dozens of interviews with donors, nonprofit professionals and leading academics in the field. She also provides much-needed ethical solutions that apply to any business, including:

- Upfront ways to ask for money
- Effective communications strategies
- Ways to be transparent from the outset
- How to curate meaningful events

Philanthropy Revolution is the handbook all fundraisers, nonprofits and donors should be using to create trusting, authentic partnerships that can be sustained long-term. Philanthropy is changing dramatically and it needs nothing short of an intervention to succeed. In this book, Lisa Greer shows us how to 'save giving' by providing a clear path to success. With her help, the nonprofit world will see its donors energized, its charities better supported and its impact increased, all while building a more honest philanthropic culture.

In this series of essays, the author shares the insights he's gained during his lifetime journey through the charitable universe. He provides practical advice on how to make sure that your gestures of kindness achieve the intended impact in the most timely and efficient way. Drawing on his experience as a small donor, an advisor to charities with global reach and community-focused organizations, and eventually managing a family foundation, he explains how you can be sure that your gestures of kindness are not in vain.

As Stephen Cornish, the Executive Director of Doctors Without Borders, puts it, Peter Cavelti's Thoughtful Giving combines grace, values, discipline and the gift of self. A perfect mix to turbo-charge the impact of your charitable giving.

Advantages of Poverty, by Andrew Carnegie, is a dynamic book that encapsulates the life and wisdom of the millionaire philanthropist with brief biographical information along with portions of his other essays. You will discover the attitude of selfless giving that motivated this innovative businessman who helped various communities, charities, and organizations to achieve greater success during his day. The wisdom of the steel tycoon who immigrated from Scotland will undoubtedly inspire you to recognize the advantages of an exceptional work ethic that overcomes poverty and lack. I have had to deal with great sums. Many millions of dollars have since passed through my hands. But the genuine satisfaction I had from that one dollar and twenty cents outweighs any subsequent pleasure in money-getting. It was the direct reward of honest, manual labor. --ANDREW CARNGIE

Philanthropy is an important and highly rewarding way for individuals and families to make a difference in a rapidly changing world. Like the world around us, philanthropy is changing and transforming, and philanthropic families are seeking out new ways to ensure that their giving is meaningful and impactful.

The Family Philanthropy Navigator offers an easy-to-use, step-by-step inspirational guide for new and existing philanthropic families to initiate or enhance their journey in giving.

On completion of the Family Philanthropy Navigator, you will have:

• understood the importance of philanthropy as an integral part of your family enterprise or ecosystem.
• explored the motivation, focus and ambitions of your giving.
• selected the people and organizations you wish to partner with.
• decided on resources, structures and processes you need to achieve impact.
• learned from the stories of active philanthropists to inspire and inform your giving.
• prepared thoroughly to begin your own philanthropic journey or to change the direction of your giving.

According to an old saying, We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. In 22 brief and insightful essays, Richard B. Gunderman shows us that the key to more rewarding giving can be found by looking beyond mere donations of money. Exploring the ethical core of sharing and examining its importance for both those who receive and those who give, here is a book to deepen our understanding of what it means to share.

A practical guide to philanthropy at all levels of giving that seeks to educate and inspire

A majority of American households give to charity in some form or another--from local donations to food banks, religious organizations, or schools, to contributions to prevent disease or protect basic freedoms. Whether you're in a position to give $1 or $1 million, every giver needs to answer the same question: How do I channel my giving effectively to make the greatest difference?

In Giving Done Right, Phil Buchanan, the president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, arms donors with what it takes to do more good more quickly and to avoid predictable errors that lead too many astray. This crucial book will reveal the secrets and lessons learned from some of the biggest givers, from the work of software entrepreneur Tim Gill and his foundation to expand rights for LGBTQ people to the efforts of a midwestern entrepreneur whose faith told him he must do something about childhood slavery in Ghana. It busts commonly held myths and challenging the idea that business thinking holds the answer to effective philanthropy. And it offers the intellectual frameworks, data-driven insights, tools, and practical examples to allow readers to understand exactly what it takes to make a difference.

Philanthropy has existed in various forms in all cultures and civilizations throughout history, yet most people know little about it and its distinctive place in our lives. Why does philanthropy exist? Why do people so often turn to philanthropy when we want to make the world a better place? In essence, what is philanthropy? These fundamental questions are tackled in this engaging and original book. Written by one of the founding figures in the field of philanthropic studies, Robert L. Payton, and his former student sociologist Michael P. Moody, Understanding Philanthropy presents a new way of thinking about the meaning and mission of philanthropy. Weaving together accessible theoretical explanations with fascinating examples of philanthropic action, this book advances key scholarly debates about philanthropy and offers practitioners a way of explaining the rationale for their nonprofit efforts.

This is a searching analysis of some of America's most powerful tax-exempt foundations, their actions as opposed to their stated purpose's, the interlocking groups of men who run them, and their influence on the country at large. The author, as counsel to the Reece Committee, which investigated foundations for the last Republican Congress, gained a unique insight into the inner workings of the various Rockefeller, Carnegie and Ford-created giants. He also witnessed the intense and powerful opposition to any investigation of these multi-billion-dollar public trusts. The Reece investigation was virtually hamstrung from the start to its early demise, which was aided and abetted by leading newspaper of the country. It is difficult for the public to understand, writes Mr. Wormser, that some of the great foundations which have done so much for us in some fields have acted tragically against the public interest in others, but the facts are there for the unprejudiced to recognize. The power of the individual foundation giant is enormous. When there is like-mindedness among a group of these giants, which apparently is due to the existence of a closely knit group of professional administrators in the social science field, the power is magnified hugely. When such foundations do good, they justify the tax-exempt status which the people grant them. When they do harm, it can be immense harm - there is virtually no counter-force to oppose them.

Is it possible that the organizations that serve the most vulnerable people in our communities are merely applying temporary patches? Why are most North American cities unable to deal with the root causes of the social challenges they are addressing? Why are most funding models for community-based non-profits built around sustaining programs rather than creating measurable social impact?

Sam Watts, the CEO of Welcome Hall Mission in Montreal, asks some hard questions in this book, and challenges everyone-both community-based non-profit organizations (CBNPs) and donors (the rest of us)-to think seriously about the outcomes we want to see, and whether we are serious about finding permanent solutions to the societal tragedies that plague us.

Good Work Done Better: Improving the Impact of Community-Based Non-Profits makes the case that a number of critical shifts need to occur in the community-based non-profit sector. These include our perception of the problems, developing a results-oriented approach, ensuring that our activities are linked to improved outcomes, and adopting a new approach to leadership and governance of CBNPs.

An illuminating and inspiring introduction to an undercovered topic.
BookLife by Publishers Weekly

The Philanthropist Handbook: Finding Meaning in the Endowment of Humanity by Clay M. Grayson is a guide for those who wish to leave a lasting legacy through planned giving. Over the next twenty years, the Baby Boomer generation is expected to donate $12 trillion to nonprofits. With 80 percent of this giving expected to be made through their estate planning, this transfer of wealth to nonprofit organizations will transform American society in amazingly positive ways. Clay, a distinguished attorney in nonprofit law, shares his experience representing some of the largest and oldest nonprofit organizations in the United States to guide readers through the transformative power of charitable giving.

The book is divided into four parts, covering the historical role of philanthropy, the disciplines necessary for effective charitable giving, the evaluation of nonprofit organizations, and the creation of a personal philanthropic plan. Readers will find practical tools, detailed case studies, and actionable advice to maximize the impact of their giving.

By following the guidance in this handbook, you can learn to build trust-based relationships with nonprofits, understand the legal and financial aspects of charitable giving, and find your place in the continuum of human experience as a philanthropist in your own right. Ideal for donors, nonprofit professionals, and volunteers, The Philanthropist Handbook is an essential resource for anyone looking to make an enduring impact in this world. Embrace the power of charitable giving and transform your philanthropic vision into reality.