The Givers: Money, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age

An inside look at the secretive world of elite philanthropists—and how they're quietly wielding ever more power to shape American life in ways both good and bad.

While media attention focuses on famous philanthropists such as Bill Gates and Charles Koch, thousands of donors are at work below the radar promoting a wide range of causes. David Callahan charts the rise of these new power players and the ways they are converting the fortunes of a second Gilded Age into influence. He shows how this elite works behind the scenes on education, the environment, science, LGBT rights, and many other issues—with deep impact on government policy. Above all, he shows that the influence of the Givers is only just beginning, as new waves of billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg turn to philanthropy. Based on extensive research and interviews with countless donors and policy experts, this is not a brief for or against the Givers, but a fascinating investigation of a power shift in American society that has implications for us all.

• Just Giving: Why Philanthropy Is Failing Democracy and How It Can Do Better
• Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World
• Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving
• The Foundation
• Fundraising and Institutional Advancement: Theory, Practice, and New Paradigms (Core Concepts in Higher Education)
• Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance
• Give Smart: Philanthropy that Gets Results
• New Strategies for Educational Fund Raising:
• Philanthropy in America: A History - Updated Edition (Politics and Society in Modern America)
• The Tales of a University Fundraiser: Sprinkling Stardust: 12 Keys to Successful Fundraising