By Charles H. Hamilton
Senior Fellow, Philanthropy New York
Philanthropy was once described as “invisible aid.” Whatever Walter Gifford meant at the time (he was President of AT&T and Chair of the Organization on Unemployment Relief in the early 1930s), foundations and their work remain too “invisible.” If we don’t redress what makes philanthropy invisible, we cannot protect its unique role or legitimately participate in the public discourse about the challenges in this society.
I thought of this recently when I decided to read all of the profiles in the “30 Grants in 30 Days” section of Philanthropy New York’s website. There are now 32 profiles of “exemplary philanthropic initiatives.” (I decided not to name names, because I am interested in themes, but of the many good profiles, I would single out the New York Foundation and the Rauch Foundation as among the best.)
First, there are several senses in which philanthropy arguably should be invisible aid:
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