Many acts of charitable giving fail in their stated goals and some are actually harmful. In Taking Philanthropy Seriously, the authors explain why this state of affairs exists. They outline solutions, ranging from those that equip philanthropists to do good work to those that build a domain of philanthropic knowledge, ethical codes, and best practices. Attention is also given to considering recipients' needs, frustrations, and hopes for support. Philanthropic leaders disclose instances of both good and compromised work, show how ethical concerns are secondary to "success" in philanthropy, and reveal strategies to promote effective and ethical conduct.

Contributors are Lynn Barendsen, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, William Damon, Akash Deep, Peter Frumkin, Howard Gardner, Laura Horn, Carrie James, Leslie Lenkowsky, Paula Marshall, Jennifer Menon, Sarah Miles, Liza Hayes Percer, Rob Reich, Tanya Rose, Paul G. Schervish, James Allen Smith, Nick Standlea, Thomas J. Tierney, and Susan Verducci.