Rich Expectations - why rich people give
A deep-dive into who gives, why they give and how expectations shape UK philanthropy, based on 20 years of research with rich donors.
This title is published in September 2025 but is available to pre-order now
In association with Pears Foundation and University of Kent
Rich Expectations charts two decades of change in UK philanthropy. Drawing on surveys and in-depth interviews with longstanding and newer UK rich donors, as well as fresh analysis of global trends, this new research explores how donors, charities and society interact in today’s philanthropic landscape and what it reveals about the expectations that shape giving.
Who is this book for?
Aimed at donors, grant-makers, philanthropy advisers, fundraisers, chief executives and trustees, this book is for anyone responsible for developing philanthropic giving strategies as well as those actually doing the asking and the giving. It will also be of interest to policy-makers, researchers and journalists with an interest in philanthropy in contemporary society.
‘The better that philanthropy and philanthropists are understood, the more philanthropy there will be and the better it will be done. This book makes a rigorous and strong contribution to the important goal of furthering both.’ [from the foreword]
Rory Brooks CBE, Philanthropist and Board Member of the Charity Commission for England and Wales
About the authors
Professor Beth Breeze worked as a fundraiser and charity manager for a decade before completing a doctoral thesis on contemporary UK philanthropy. She co-founded and was Director of the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent from 2012 to 2025, and is now Principal of Harris Manchester College, Oxford. Her publications include Advising Philanthropists: Principles and practice (2023), with Emma Beeston; In Defence of Philanthropy (2021); The New Fundraisers: Who organises charitable giving in contemporary society? (2017) and The Philanthropy Reader (2016).
Rhodri Davies is the founding Director of the think tank Why Philanthropy Matters, a Research Fellow in the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent, and Philanthropy Expert in Residence at the Pears Foundation. He is the author of What Is Philanthropy For? (2023) and Public Good by Private Means: How Philanthropy Shapes Britain (2016), and is the host of the Philanthropisms podcast.
Theresa Lloyd is a well-regarded philanthropy expert and has undertaken pioneering research into the motivations and philanthropic practices of the wealthy. She is a leading advisor to non-profit organisations on strategic planning and philanthropy, and has counselled families on the development of philanthropy strategies. She was the Founder Director of Philanthropy UK, now Philanthropy Impact, of which she was previously a Trustee. She is the author of Richer Lives (2013), with Beth Breeze; Cultural Giving (2006); Why Rich People Give (2004); and A Guide to Giving (2003).
Buy the physical copy
| Price | £30.00 |
By placing this order you agree to DSC's terms and conditions -
Terms and conditions