According to a recent Oxfam report, the world’s five richest men have more than doubled their fortunes to $869 billion since 2020. That same report indicated that wealth among billionaires has grown by more than $3 trillion, three times faster than the rate of inflation, from 2020 to 2024. At Davos in January, more than 250 billionaires signed an open letter to their governments asking that they tax the ultra-wealthy to address global issues like poverty and climate change. Many other high-net-worth individuals are attempting to address these issues through philanthropy, but in new ways. For example, many billionaires are choosing to give through donor-advised funds or other vehicles rather than establishing private foundations.

In her role as Vice President of Program Strategy and Learning at Lever for Change, Kristen Molyneaux has worked closely with high-net-worth individuals to design giving programs and challenges since she spearheaded the first 100&Change competition in 2018. David Callahan wrote The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age in 2017 and has been tracking giving trends as editor of Inside Philanthropy. We welcome your questions and insights as Kristen and David lead us in a critical discussion about the future of billionaire philanthropy and its implications for our field.