The return of philanthropy

This literature review provides an overview of academic research on philanthropy, structured into two main parts: "who gives how much" and "why people give." The first part surveys literature on the characteristics of individuals and households related to giving behavior and the amount donated. The second part identifies eight key mechanisms driving philanthropy: awareness of need, solicitation, costs and benefits, altruism, reputation, psychological benefits, values, and efficacy. The paper aims to bring order to the extensive studies on determinants of philanthropy by distinguishing between these two types of knowledge, primarily drawing from sociological and economic perspectives on giving.