From the ancient Greeks philanthropy has been key to a healthy and efficient culture, and similar is true nowadays.
One might, when one hears the word philanthropy, quickly think of a handful of famous philanthropists who are well known for distributing their fortunes to causes that they care about. This is something that has held true for many thousands of years, with the very first documented example of institutionalised philanthropy, in addition to the genesis of the philanthropy meaning and word, happening over 2 thousand years back in ancient Greece. Throughout this duration, the word meant something more comparable to 'loving of one's fellow human being', or humanism, than the restrictions of wealth one might apply to the term today, but nonetheless wealthy individuals played a crucial charity role in the culture. Wealthy people were expected to give back to the society, assisting to put up the cash for repair work to public works like city walls or temples along with financing festivals and other public events. Being pinchpenny was not looked upon well, and if a wealthy individual was not seen to be a benefactor, they could be ostracised from the society altogether.
Various entities have been accountable for charity work throughout the ages. Although rich people and celebrity philanthropists might be seen as the central charitable force in the contemporary world, that is not always totally accurate, nor has it been for much of history. In the middle ages, it was religious organizations like the church that would have been the primary charitable centers, both within the town and on bigger level undertakings. That altered with the coming of industry when wealthy individuals became more powerful, and then shifted again towards the end of the nineteenth century when foundations began to spring up that were better organised and could dedicate more attention to getting things done. This is much the same way that charity is structured these days, whether those foundations are created by grassroots groups, rich people, or businesses like SJP.
The manner in which charity has actually been funded has changed a great deal throughout the course of human history, moving between various entities which hold the most power and wealth, just as the focus of charity work has actually altered as various requirements have emerged. These days, there are a great many problems that have to be addressed, from increasing inequality to the climate crisis, and charity will inevitably play an important part in that procedure. Rich individuals with bank accounts that would make a medieval kings blush have their part to play, however so do the businesses that are the central hubs of monetary generation in the 21st century through things like corporate philanthropy. Whether that is setting up a foundation of their own or establishing ESG dedications, businesses like Morgan Stanley and Vanguard Group are starting to do so.