As Australia reels from the bushfire crisis, one positive outcome is the outpouring of charitable giving across local communities. Complementing this are impressive philanthropic pledges, such as from the Paul Ramsay Foundation ($30 million) and from Andrew and Nicola Forrest ($70 million), to fire-relief efforts.

The word philanthropy derives from the Greek for "love of people". Today philanthropy conveys a sense of long-term gifting on a large scale – a strategy to significantly improve the welfare of others.