ABSTRACT
The philanthropy sector differs from the other main sectors of society – the market and the state – by being supply-driven. Whereas the demands of customers and voters propel action in those other sectors, it is donors’ supply of philanthropic resources, rather than the claims of beneficiaries, that usually animates outcomes in philanthropy. Yet philanthropic transactions are often understood to generate mutual benefits, and many donors aspire to be responsive to the needs and wants of others, so the relationship between philanthropists and beneficiaries is more complex than that between the parties involved in commercial or electoral transactions.
