In the space between the multi-billionaire philanthropy of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, and charities supported by the broad public, sit philanthropists in the meaningful middle that are often overlooked, argues Bernstein Private Wealth Management.

The US wealth firm talks about the meaningful middle – donors who give between $1 million and $25 million a year, and who often carry out the work of supporting local initiatives in the US and abroad.

“They are people who want to give and make a positive difference but who don’t have the same resources (staff, infrastructure, professional guidance, etc.) as 'mega donors,’” Clare Golla, national managing director of philanthropic services at the firm, told Family Wealth Report. Many in the meaningful middle contributing to this level of philanthropy also aren’t just concerned about writing a check, she said. They often want to add value in other ways, and are well placed to act.

“This part of the philanthropy universe is where our practice is growing fastest,” Golla continued, in reference to the meaningful middle. “We have seen enormous wealth created from enterprises and where there are liquidity events, and people are thinking about the world in a less binary way. They no longer want to just make the money and then 'give back'; they are thinking holistically.”

This news service has spoken to several practitioners in the HNW and UHNW philanthropy space in the weeks leading up to the “Giving Season” during the fall and much of December. There are plenty of reasons to give for donors in the meaningful middle: The aftermath of the pandemic; geopolitical turmoil, and natural disasters such as hurricanes and forest fires. And there are ongoing problems of crime, substance abuse, treatments for illnesses such as cancer, and relief of hardship. To take a different angle, a desire to build up sports, the arts, protect habitats, and foster new ways of living, are also important.

The philanthropy sector is having to move with the times. That means digital technology. For example, as reported here, Foundation Source, which provides cloud-based solutions for private foundations, announced last week that it had bought Vennfi, a fintech that powers Charityvest, a sponsor of donor-advised funds that serve donors in the meaningful middle.

Read the full article about donors in the meaningful middle by Tom Burroughes at Family Wealth Report.