The decision by Bill Gates to leave his day-to-day work at Microsoft for a full time job at his foundation and Warren Buffett’s decision to gift 85% of his wealth to the Gates Foundation obviously have a huge financial impact on philanthropy.
But far more important in my mind is the impact that their decisions are having on everyday Americans’ attitude towards philanthropy.
Julia Moulden has posted an inspiring story on her blog We Are The New Radicals which highlights this very fact. It is the model that Bill Gates is setting that ultimately convinces the couple in the story to spend more of their time on philanthropy.