NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Charlize Theron remembers the moment her role in philanthropy clicked into place.
The Oscar-winning actress had been talking with community leaders in her homeland of South Africa about how they could tackle the AIDS epidemic there. 鈥淲e heard them say, 鈥榃e know what to do, but we just need the resources to do it,鈥欌�� Theron said Thursday at the Town & Country Philanthropy Summit in Manhattan. 鈥淎nd I thought, 鈥極h, wait, I can do that.鈥欌��
As a result, she created the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project in 2007 to fund community leaders in South Africa who were already working on the AIDS epidemic and then expanded to gender equity issues. 鈥淥ur philosophy is always listen and they鈥檒l tell us what we need to do and then we help with that,鈥� Theron told The Associated Press in an interview backstage before her appearance at the summit.
It's a strategy that resonated throughout the Town & Country Philanthropy Summit, which celebrated its 10th anniversary Thursday.
鈥淧hilanthropy, for me, comes down to a very simple question: 鈥榃hat can I do?鈥�,鈥� said Stellene Volandes, Town & Country's editor in chief. 鈥淲hen you feel like there is something you might be able to do, it means you still have hope and it gives each and every one of us a role in making the world better.鈥�
Volandes said philanthropy has been part of Town & Country essentially since the magazine launched in 1846. She said the Philanthropy Summit began in 2013 at a time when 鈥渢he age of the anonymous donor was close to being over.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 when philanthropy became news,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ho was giving? How much were they giving? Who鈥檚 getting their name on the building?鈥�
A lot has changed in philanthropy since then, with another sea change brewing in the sector.
Philanthropists, Volandes said, aren鈥檛 just the people who write big checks. They are people who serve others. And the race is on to find and activate as many of those people as possible.
Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said society functions best when the government and philanthropy work together. He said his nonprofit After-School All-Stars, which provides programs to support students and their families across the country, is an example of philanthropy stepping in where government support is lacking.
鈥淵our political philosophy falls apart right in front of you,鈥� he said. 鈥淚'm a Republican. Is the government becoming a nanny for the kids who should be doing their own thing? ... No. I saw firsthand that the government needed to get involved.鈥�
Ford Foundation President Darren Walker quoted the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s thoughts about philanthropy being 鈥渃ommendable,鈥� but that it should not 鈥渃ause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.鈥� Walker urged those in attendance to engage in philanthropy that goes 鈥漛eyond generosity and toward justice."
鈥淥ne of the trends we should be concerned about in our country is the growing level of inequality,鈥� Walker told The Associated Press. 鈥淭hat means there are fewer middle class people giving and I think we should be worried about that. That鈥檚 a larger systemic issue in our economy that should be addressed to ensure that we have a vibrant and vital middle class.鈥�
The results of that inequality are already being felt. In 2022, for only the fourth time in four decades 鈥� down 3.4% to $499.3 billion, which is a drop of 10.5% when adjusted for inflation 鈥� according to a Giving USA report released in June. More concerning to nonprofits, though, is the decline in the number of Americans who donate. In 2000, more than two-thirds of Americans donated. In 2022, that percentage dropped to less than half, according to the report.
The reason declines are not more severe is because wealthier Americans, like those who read Town & Country magazine. are donating more.
According to the released last month, affluent households, on average, gave 19% more in 2022 than they did before the pandemic started. Researchers defined affluent as households with a net worth of more than $1 million or annual income of more than $200,000.
Women in affluent households are more likely to volunteer than men and are more likely to influence the decisions about giving, said Una Osili, the report鈥檚 lead researcher and associate dean for Research and International Programs at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. However, she said women are less likely to serve on the boards governing nonprofits 鈥� providing an opportunity for change for many organizations.
鈥淭here seems to be a gap in terms of leadership opportunities for women in nonprofits at a time when our society is concerned with equity and bringing diverse voices to the table,鈥� Osili said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a point that should be called out.鈥�
Theron said the general need for more female leaders is why her Africa Outreach Project is so focused on gender equity and safety for girls, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic set back their work at least a decade.
鈥淚t's been proven that economies rise instantly when females step into leadership," she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the biggest ways to solve some of the biggest problems that we have in South Africa. That鈥檚 another reason why I really believe in female empowerment.鈥�
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Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP鈥檚 collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP鈥檚 philanthropy coverage, visit .
Glenn Gamboa, The Associated Press
