The White House Conference on Philanthropy

The White House Conference on Philanthropy
October 22, 1999

On October 22, 1999, President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham-Clinton, with the National Endowment for the Humanities, convened the first-ever “White House Conference on Philanthropy: Gifts to the Future.” This conference brought together individuals who are engaged in philanthropy to highlight this essential American tradition of charitable giving; to discuss the diverse and changing face of philanthropy; and, against the backdrop of eight years of unprecedented economic growth, to explore how to persevere and expand this tradition for future generations. A portion of the program was broadcast via satellite, permitting people at more than 3,000 sites across the country to tune in and take part.

The White House conference featured three entrepreneurial donors, including Kevin Fong of the Mayfield Fund, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm; Steve Case, the CEO of America Online, and Cate Muther, 3GF’s President and Founder, who left the corporate world to focus on her philanthropic ventures.

To read the full report (PDF) on this conference, click here. If you don't have the Acrobat plug-in, you can download it by clicking on the button.