THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

            PRESIDENT AND MRS. CLINTON CONVENE "WHITE HOUSE
           CONFERENCE ON PHILANTHROPY:  GIFTS TO THE FUTURE"
                            October 22, 1999

Today the President and First Lady, with the National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH), will convene the first-ever "White House Conference on Philanthropy: Gifts to the Future." The conference will bring together individuals who are engaged in philanthropy -- including charitable donors, youth, policy experts, and representatives from non-profit organizations, foundations, and educational programs -- to highlight the unique American tradition of charitable giving; to discuss the diverse and changing face of philanthropy; and at a time of the strongest economy in a generation, to explore how to preserve and expand this tradition for future generations.

Focusing On Philanthropic Giving As The New Millennium Approaches: As the new millennium approaches, the American tradition of philanthropic giving may take a new turn. Several recent economic, demographic and technological advances and trends have made this an important time to focus on charitable giving, such as:
- Giving has reached a new high, rising over 10% in 1998, the third consecutive year in which giving increased. - Dramatic gifts from some of America's wealthiest citizens have drawn new attention to philanthropy and inspired debate about appropriate giving levels.
- At the same time, there is a growing recognition that as the demographic profile of the United States changes, giving by African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and other people of color is essential to the long-term health of the nonprofit sector and the expansion of our collective philanthropic tradition.
- Just as the strongest economy in a generation has produced unprecedented new wealth, the baby boom generation is poised to inherit $12 trillion from their parents.
- New technology is creating new avenues for giving, through for-profit and nonprofit Internet sites. - And finally, new donors, particularly those who have made their fortunes in the technology boom, have become innovators in the world of philanthropy, as they look for greater involvement in the causes they support and greater accountability for results. These "venture philanthropists" find kindred spirits among new social entrepreneurs who are applying new thinking and business solutions to the problems that plague our communities.

Clinton Administration Commitments:
At the conference, the President and Mrs. Clinton will announce new Administration commitments to improve our understanding of giving and to encourage subsequent activities and dialogue on giving.

Encouraging Productive Partnerships Between Government and Nonprofits

• Today, President Clinton will announce that he is creating a new Task Force on Nonprofits and Government to strengthen and support the important collaborative efforts of the nonprofit sector and government. In 1998, an estimated $175 billion was given by Americans to a wide variety of causes and organizations. In many cases, nonprofit organizations convert America's giving into results -- helping people in need, providing health care and educating our nation's youth. Nonprofits are uniquely able to identify problems and promote change at the community level. As the sector grows, increasing opportunity arises to forge more effective partnerships between nonprofits and government to address public needs. The Task Force will develop a public inventory of "best practices" in existing collaborations between the Federal Government and nonprofits and work with nonprofits to apply these models to other governmental efforts. The Task Force will also examine ways the Federal Government can better draw upon the experience and innovations of nonprofits, evaluate trends on nonprofits and philanthropy, and work with nonprofits to explore new policies that encourage philanthropy and service and help nonprofits develop and grow.
• In view of the growing size and importance of the nonprofits sector, a new "Tax Exempt and Government Entities" division was recently established at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). As part of this effort, the Treasury Department also recently announced the formation of a "Tax Exempt Advisory Committee" to provide a public forum for discussions between the IRS and representatives of nonprofits organizations. This Advisory Committee will enable the IRS to receive regular input with respect to the development and implementation of tax policies and practices affecting nonprofits.
• Examining Tax-related Issues and Research Opportunities: The Department of the Treasury also will hold a meeting with organizations involved in the conference to discuss tax policy and research issues affecting the nonprofit sector.
• Expanding Our Understanding of Charitable Giving: The Council of Economic Advisers will undertake an analysis of the role of philanthropy in the economy, including discussion and interpretation of trends in charitable giving, factors that affect giving, and how the aging of Baby Boomers and other trends are likely to affect giving in the future. Please see attached fact sheet.

Corporate and Private Commitments to Expand Giving: The President and Mrs. Clinton also will highlight several new private initiatives to encourage the expansion of charitable giving, such as:

• AOL Foundation: The AOL Foundation will highlight its launch of Helping.org, a revolutionary e-philanthropy portal that provides Americans who want to lend a helping hand with the fastest, safest, easiest and most cost-effective way to donate money or volunteer time to the charity of their choice. Helping.org connects users to over 620,000 charities and more than 20,000 volunteer activities, providing an important new resource for the more than two-thirds of American households that already make charitable contributions, as well as those new to philanthropy.
• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: A group of organizations concerned with youth giving and service, including the United Way of America, Save the Children, US Committee for UNICEF, City Year, and the Corporation for National Service, have made a commitment to work together on a youth and philanthropy initiative. The Gates Foundation will announce its intention to support the next phase of their planning, including a follow-up conference and will encourage other organizations to support this important effort.
• Girl Scouts of the USA: The Girl Scouts of the USA will unveil its new philanthropy patch entitled "Strength and Sharing." Beginning in 2000, Girl Scouts of all age levels will earn interest patches that will help them recognize and learn from philanthropists in their own families, places of worship, schools, Girl Scout troops, and neighborhoods. The program will allow girls to identify and assist organizations and institutions that meet community needs and understand how their own time and money can make a difference in their communities.

Building on the White House Conference on Philanthropy:

• On the occasion of the White House Conference on Philanthropy, the National Information Charities Bureau (NCIB), together with the Department of Commerce, GreaterGood.com, CharitableWay.com, and the AOL Foundation will host the "E-Philanthropy: Technology and the Nonprofit Community" forum to discuss the how the ever-increasing use of the Internet will impact the unique American tradition of charitable giving. At the White House conference, William Massey of NCIB will report on the morning session of the E-Philanthropy conference.
• The Corporation for National Service will host a morning conference on youth and philanthropy called, "Raising the Roof: Youth Voices on Giving." At the White House conference, Malik Evans, a sophomore at the University of Rochester, will report on what was discussed at the youth conference.

Engaging Communities Around the Country: A portion of the "White House Conference on Philanthropy" will be broadcast via satellite, presenting an extraordinary opportunity for communities across the country to participate in this important discussion. Over 3,500 sites in 40 states will view the conference via satellite, with the assistance of a grant from the Charles Mott Foundation and the support of SCETV, and the Department of Education. An additional 10.1 million viewers around the country will have access to viewing the conference through PBS and cable channels' live broadcasts.

The White Conference on Philanthropy is made possible with the support of The National Endowment for the Humanities, South Carolina Educational Television, The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Community Foundation-Silicon Valley, The J. Paul Getty Trust, the Iscol Family Foundation, The Marcie Polier Family Foundation, the American Red Cross, and the United Way of America.

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