What is Philanthropy?

Philanthropy can be described as the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes, uplifting others who require our support and providing opportunities they may not otherwise have.

The word philanthropy is derived from two Greeks words: ‘philos’ meaning ‘loving’ and ‘anthropos’ meaning ‘human’ so the essence of philanthropy is that of loving our fellow human beings.

At its core philanthropy is all about creating a better life for those who are suffering by finding ways to reduce, or better still eliminate, the challenges they’re facing.

Whilst the two are often confused, philanthropy is different to charity and this difference can be explained by looking at this popular proverb:

Philanthropy will focus on teaching the man to fish so that his suffering is reduced or eliminated for life.

Philanthropy is about committing to making long term change, and we  have a number of ways that people can be part of the philanthropic journey regardless of how much you have to give.

Here at MK Community Foundation we help to direct your charitable donations so that they can be used for philanthropic purposes and support by sending funding where it is needed most in Milton Keynes and leading to lasting change in line with our goal to build a resilient, creative, inclusive and philanthropic community.