The changing role of private philanthropy in health affairs

Since World War II societal changes have fundamentally altered the very special position held by private philanthropy in the health area. The expanding expenditures for health services by the private and public sectors now dwarf those of philanthropic insitutions. Yet the need for private philanthropy has not diminished. Indeed, given some of the problems that may be created by large-scale public-sector support, private philanthropy may prove to be even more imporant in the future. But to respond to this changing state of affairs, the philanthropic community and the nation's health institutions will have to recognize that private philanthropy has become a relatively scarce national resource. To continue to play a major part in health affairs, philanthropic giving will have to become well targeted on select national and regional priorities, moving away from the more broadly scattered approaches reflecting the needs of the earlier parts of the century.