Philanthropy refers to charitable acts or other good works like volunteering your time or efforts that help others or contribute to the well-being of society overall. For some people, philanthropy means donations of money, often large sums, to support or create university buildings, research centers, or fund four-year college scholarships. For others, acts of philanthropy mean an annual donation to a local theater, food pantry, or public school.
There are many ways to make charitable contributions on a local to a global scale, including corporate philanthropy. There are also individual philanthropists. Philanthropy may be done for tax breaks or altruism, or a combination of the two things. Anyone can be a philanthropist if they give of their talent, time, money, or skills.