We can't know for sure when or where the next crisis will hit -- only that it will. But despite these certainties, most cities are woefully unprepared to manage these shocks. Now is the time to help cities build resilience.

Amazing things happen when you bet on people -- including entire transformations. But with this ability comes great responsibility, in all of our work, to grapple with the big moral questions of our day.

There is still no machine that can match the power of human ingenuity to solve truly human problems. And therefore, "backing brains" has always been a key part of philanthropy's strategy.

Philanthropy can cause harm in myriad ways. We need to get it right. For those considering support for or work with international development and health projects, here are a few ideas on how to assure that money and effort leads to real impact in a way that "does no harm"

Last week, I discussed role of philanthropy as risk-taker – taking on the hardest parts of the work so that the private and public sectors can c...

Risk is philanthropy's calling card -- it's what our philanthropic dollars, at least in the United States, are now tax-advantaged to do. If we're not taking enough risk, we're clearly not doing everything in our power to maximize impact for the poor or vulnerable.

No longer do funders see their primary role to be writing big checks. Spurred by the entrepreneurial drive of a new generation, new philanthropists are developing their own blueprints for change.

As corporate social responsibility has become more strategic and aligned with business objectives, companies are directing dollars toward causes that directly impact their businesses, such as health, education and the environment.

Megan has received a grant from a neighborhood trust to revitalize her block for trick-or-treating. She and her neighbors are working together to create a long line of houses inviting and welcoming to kids, culminating in an outdoor showing of a classic scary movie.

While I am always impressed by how much Bill Gates gives, I am blown away by ordinary citizens that make it their mission to raise a couple thousand dollars to make a community project happen in their neighborhood.

What does it mean to get compensation right? And why does it matter so much? Getting it right is called "fair and reasonable" by the IRS. It's what the law requires, it's what any CEO wants, and it's what any donor and member of the public expects.

The problems we face in health, environment, education and poverty are ubiquitous and persistent. These problems require profound patience coupled with ingenuity in the way that we marshal our resources to solve them.

The legacies of Rockefeller and Carnegie-and particularly their ethos of questioning and continual learning-were alive on the final day of the Global ...

There are a lot of ways to inspire people. But there is one common strand of DNA that unites all those inspirational people out there. They are committed.

The fact that 35 percent of all American giving went to religious organizations in 2010 reflects how closely bound many of us are with our place of worship. The power of this personal interaction cannot be underestimated.

Countless forces inspire giving--the public library that showed you a new world in your childhood; the scholarship that enabled you or a relative to attend college; the family member who survived her battle with breast cancer.

As philanthropists, the most powerful legacy we can create is one that keeps on giving-through our children. Here are ten easy ways to help your young children make giving become a core value of their own.

When it comes to giving, we can draw inspiring lessons from today's youth. The volunteer rate among sixteen- to nineteen-year-olds, in terms of hours given, has almost doubled since 1989, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Over the course of a decade teaching at Stanford Graduate School of Business and University, I've seen a significant shift in how this new generation thinks about our world and makes life decisions. For the individuals in this generation, the focus is not selling -- it's giving.