The Changing Face Of Philanthropy

David Parsley’s recent article on the changing face of philanthropy is very enlightening. The article talks about the seismic paradigm shift in the notion of giving. Where once the province only of the rich, the barriers to philanthropy are now non-existent. The Internet can mobilize millions of people from all income levels and nationalities, around any given cause.

Parsley’s quote from The Big Give Founder Jon Brooks hit the spirit of microphilanthropy on the head. In founding The Big Give, Brooks noticed, “It quickly became clear that even people with only small amounts of money to spare liked it because it gave them control over where their money went. It allowed them to donate intelligently and be proactive philanthropists.”

This is the essence of microphilanthropy – empowering individuals to make a difference to causes that matter to them. Today, our charitable contributions are not limited to the size of our pocketbooks, but by harnessing the power of each of our social networks.

At the 1 Dollar Club, we believe the power of our social networks needs to be leveraged for the common good. It is our ultimate goal to make microphilanthropy mainstream.