Sign up to receive the best commentary and opinion on the philanthropic sector, as well as professional fundraising advice to help you succeed.
Martin Morse Wooster
Martin Morse Wooster is senior fellow at the Capital Research Center. He is the author of three books: Angry Classrooms, Vacant Minds (Pacific Research Institute, 1994), The Great Philanthropists and the Problem of ‘Donor Intent’ (Capital Research Center, 1994; revised 1998, 2007, and 2017), and Great Philanthropic Mistakes (Hudson Institute, 2006; revised 2010). His monographs about philanthropy include Should Foundations Live Forever? (Capital Research Center, 1998), The Foundation Builders (Philanthropy Roundtable, 2000), Return to Charity? (Capital Research Center, 2000), By Their Bootstraps (Manhattan Institute, 2002), and Games Universities Play (Pope Center, 2011). His articles and reviews have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Washington Times, American Spectator, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Commentary, Elle, Air and Space, Esquire, Philanthropy, Policy Review, Reader’s Digest, Reason, and Washingtonian.
Wooster frequently comments on philanthropic issues for newspapers, magazines, and television in the U.S. and Great Britain. He has contributed to the Encyclopedia of Philanthropy, the Encyclopedia of Civil Rights, and Notable American Philanthropists.
Wooster was formerly an editor at The American Enterprise, Reason, the Wilson Quarterly, and Harper’s Magazine. He was graduated from Beloit College with degrees in history and philosophy.
It’s a too-familiar theme: conservative parents start foundations and liberal children change the foundation’s giving goals. Is there any way to protect conservative donor intent after they pass away?
A recent Washington Post article criticizes the giving of wealthy Americans during the COVID-19 crisis. But their research misunderstands philanthropy.
Exponent Philanthropy surveyed its network of “lean funders” to see how they are responding to COVID-19. Much of it is good, another example of donors shifting in ways that will be valuable beyond the pandemic.
Foundations and philanthropists should be focused on the most effective, local forms of giving in order to provide relief during this national health and economic crisis.
Individual charitable giving can’t compete with the lofty aspirations of big government and big philanthropy. But is that a bug in the system or a feature?