With scrutiny of the charitable work of Donald Trump and Hillary and Bill Clinton flying high on the 2016 presidential campaign trail, we decided to mine our archives for insight into the political contenders’ philanthropy.
Twenty-six years ago, The Chronicle of Higher Education published an in-depth look at Mr. Trump’s charitable giving. Some of the analysis proved optimistic in terms of Mr. Trump’s potential to be an important new force for philanthropy. Other parts would prove more prescient.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy took a look at the beginnings of the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton family’s early forays into philanthropy-backed global development. With Bill Clinton at the helm, that work expanded dramatically through the 2000s but has produced plenty of controversy with questions about whether donors sought to curry favor with the political dynasty. Hillary Clinton stepped down from the foundation board in April 2015 when she announced her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Here are those original articles.
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News
Trump, the Philanthropy: Colleges Jockey to Win Gifts From the Billionaire’s New Foundation
When Mr. Trump’s foundation was new, hopes were high that it — and he personally — would blossom into a significant source of philanthropic dollars. -
Opinion
Clinton’s Good-Works Plan
Twenty-one months after leaving the White House, Bill Clinton talks to The Chronicle in detail about what he has planned for his philanthropy. -
News
Clinton Charity Seeks to Be ‘Good Neighbor’
As they sought to raise huge sums of money, officials of the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation tried not to interfere with the fundraising efforts of nearby nonprofits, big and small. -
News
Donor Trips Aren’t Easy, Clinton Voyage to Africa Shows: a Reporter’s Notebook
At Bill Clinton’s invitation, friends, contributors to his foundation, and members of the news media went to remote regions of Africa to get a firsthand look at his charitable work. -
NewsCharity Becomes Hot Election Topic — and Not in a Good Way
Scrutiny of Hillary Clinton’s and Donald Trump’s nonprofit organizations may be creating an unfairly negative perception of how most of philanthropy really works, experts say.
