Gifts of Time and Money The Role of Charity in America's Communities

Policymakers, civic leaders, and scholars have increasingly focused their attention over the last decade and a half on the importance of voluntary participation in civil society. From George H. Bush's Thousand Points of Light to Bill Clinton's AmeriCorps to George W. Bush's faith-based initiatives, it is undeniable that communities are looking to increase their levels of charity and voluntarism in the provision of public goods and services. What mobilizes giving and volunteering? What can policymakers and nonprofit managers do to change the current landscape in places with low levels of participation? These are the questions this edited collection addresses.