Teaching Philanthropy in Universities: Volunteers & Giving
This paper examines the observed decline in charitable giving and volunteerism over the past two decades and argues for the formal incorporation of philanthropy instruction into university curricula. Drawing on multiple academic sources, it defines philanthropy broadly to include both material donations and volunteer service, identifies contributing factors to the decline — including tax policy, economic downturns, and the COVID-19 pandemic — and highlights a critical gap in public understanding of the "why," "what," and "how" of giving. The paper proposes experiential philanthropy as an innovative and evidence-based pedagogy, reviewing its deployment across several universities and evaluating its documented impact on students' philanthropic inclinations and community engagement. It concludes that teaching philanthropy in higher education is both relevant and timely.
- Introduction: Overview of declining giving and paper scope
- Defining Philanthropy and Volunteerism: Broad definition and examples of philanthropic activity
- The Decline in Charitable Giving: Data and causes behind declining donations and volunteering
- The Case for Philanthropy Instruction in Universities: Why and how to teach philanthropy in higher education
- Experiential Philanthropy as an Innovative Pedagogy: Evidence-based hands-on giving model for classrooms
- Conclusion: Summary argument for philanthropy in university curricula
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper organizes its argument around three clear conceptual anchors — the "why," "what," and "how" of giving — which it introduces early and returns to throughout, giving the essay structural coherence.
- It grounds claims in multiple peer-reviewed sources and named programs (e.g., SPCEP, the Philanthropy Lab), lending credibility to its policy recommendation.
- It anticipates a potential objection (funding availability for experiential philanthropy programs) and offers a concrete solution, demonstrating critical thinking beyond simple advocacy.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper models problem-solution essay structure effectively: it establishes a documented social problem (declining giving and volunteering), traces its causes, identifies a knowledge gap as a key driver, and proposes a specific, evidence-backed intervention. This move from diagnosis to prescription is a hallmark of applied social science writing at the undergraduate level.
Structure breakdown
The essay opens with a brief introduction establishing scope, then defines key terms before documenting the decline in philanthropy with cited data. It transitions into the rationale for university-level instruction organized around the "why/what/how" framework, introduces experiential philanthropy as the proposed pedagogy with supporting research findings, addresses a practical implementation concern, and closes with a summary conclusion reinforcing the urgency of the proposal.
Introduction
Over the last few years, there has been an observed decline in not only the amounts contributed towards charitable causes, but also the number of persons willing to serve as volunteers. There are a number of reasons for this decline, some of which are highlighted in this paper. To a large extent, this discussion concerns itself with philanthropic instruction in academic settings, specifically at the university level. In so doing, it assesses the relevance of such instruction and how it could be incorporated into the curriculum. It also suggests an innovative pedagogy for deployment in institutions of higher learning.
Defining Philanthropy and Volunteerism
From the outset, it is worth noting that philanthropy does not have a single, universally accepted definition. In the past, multiple authors have proposed a wide range of definitions for the term. Philanthropy, in the words of Scharf and Tonin (2018), could be deemed "the act of doing charitable work, or an activity designed to improve human welfare" (p. 113). This is the definition embraced in this paper.
There are a wide range of philanthropic undertakings that individuals can engage in. These include, but are not limited to: paying hospital bills for patients unable to cover the costs themselves — particularly those requiring costly diagnostic or treatment procedures; helping needy families in disadvantaged communities by donating basic necessities such as blankets and clothing; providing gifts to children in care homes during occasions such as Christmas; and funding structured, strategic causes such as vaccine research for HIV/AIDS or cancer treatment. There is no shortage of philanthropists who have assigned their time and resources to diverse causes aimed at promoting the wellbeing of fellow human beings.
It is also important to note that, apart from making material contributions, individuals can elect to donate their time towards the advancement of others' welfare. This is what is referred to as volunteering. For instance, an individual could volunteer in community service initiatives without expecting any compensation for their time and effort.
The Decline in Charitable Giving
Various authors have observed a sustained decline in philanthropic giving over the last few years. According to Price (2017), available data indicates that people are giving far less to charitable causes than they were approximately one decade ago. A report released by Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy indicates "that volunteering and charitable giving overall has dropped around 11% since the early 2000s" (Price, 2017). This finding is echoed by Rooney (2019) in a feature titled Where Have All the Donors Gone?, which documents a noticeable decline in donations made by small and medium-sized donors to various organizations over the last two decades. However, Rooney (2019) notes that available data suggests large corporate donors have actually increased their charitable giving — a trend likely associated with the rise in popularity of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The decline in philanthropic activity among small and medium-sized donors can be attributed to several factors. Rooney (2019) identifies public policy — particularly tax policy — as a key driver. Tax rate cuts may leave consumers with more disposable income, while tax rate hikes reduce taxpayer take-home pay and, consequently, their willingness to donate. A related factor is significant economic downturns. This is especially relevant in explaining the sharper decline in philanthropic efforts observed over recent years, largely as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on the economy. With widespread layoffs and declining business revenues, charitable donations have fallen considerably.
One factor that has received comparatively less attention, however, is the lack of understanding among potential donors regarding the "why," "what," and "how" of giving (Westheimer, 2015). The "what" concerns the causes for which to give or volunteer; the "how" relates to the various avenues available for contributing to philanthropic and volunteer efforts; and the "why" focuses on the reasons for giving or offering oneself as a volunteer. It is not uncommon for most people to have little insight into these three elements. For instance, an individual may be unaware of the causes that most deserve their attention, or of where their donations would make the greatest difference. Amongst some, philanthropic efforts can appear to be an undertaking reserved for the wealthy or for large corporate bodies. Yet there are multiple areas in which an ordinary citizen could direct his or her philanthropic efforts. Without a proper understanding of the nature and conduct of philanthropy, most people fail to make meaningful contributions.
Conclusion
On the basis of the discussion above, it is clear that philanthropy can indeed be taught. This paper has also demonstrated that the relevance of philanthropy instruction, specifically at the university level, cannot be overstated — particularly given the need to increase the number of future volunteers and to promote a culture of giving. Multiple sources cited in this discussion confirm that there has been a decline in philanthropic contributions over the last few years, and that the number of those willing to serve in volunteer positions has been on a steady decline as well. The arguments presented here for incorporating philanthropy into the university curriculum are therefore not only valid but also timely — especially with respect to the adoption of experiential philanthropy as an innovative and evidence-based pedagogy.
References
Benz, T. A., Piskulich, J. P., Kim, S., & Barry, M. (2020). Student philanthropy and community engagement: A program evaluation. Innovative Higher Education, 45(4), 57–63.
Kwalwasser, H. (2012). Renewal: Remaking America's schools for the twenty-first century. R&L Education.
McDougle, L., McDonald, D., & Li, H. (2016). Can philanthropy be taught? Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 46(2), 172–177.
Olberding, J. C. (2011). Does student philanthropy work? A study of long-term effects of the "Learning by Giving" approach. Innovative Higher Education, 37(2), 28–34.
Pottick, K. J., Giordano, S., & Chirco, D. E. (2015). Creating a culture of student philanthropy to address financial challenges in universities. Journal of Social Work Education, 51(2), 207–221.
Price, E. (2017). Americans are giving less to charity than they were 10 years ago. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2017/10/18/charitable-giving-america/
Rooney, P. (2019). Where have all the donors gone? The continued decline of the small donor and the growth of megadonors. Nonprofit Quarterly. https://nonprofitquarterly.org/where-have-all-the-donors-gone-the-continued-decline-of-the-small-donor-and-the-growth-of-megadonors/
Scharf, K., & Tonin, M. (2018). The economics of philanthropy: Donations and fundraising. MIT Press.
Westheimer, J. (2015). What kind of citizen? Educating our children for the common good. Teachers College Press.
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