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(2000 - present)

2000 
United Way and its partner, the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems, successfully petition the Federal Communications Commission to designate "211" for health and human services information and referral. Originally created by United Way of Atlanta, 211 that makes a critical connection between individuals and families in need and the appropriate community-based organizations and government agencies. (Source: United Way of America)

2001 
Over $1-billion is donated to charitable causes in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington D.C. and Somerset County, PA.  The American Red Cross receives over $752-million in charitable gifts by December 31. (Source: AAFRC, Giving USA 2003).  The United Way of New York City and the New York Community Trust establish the September 11th Fund. Four months after its establishment, donations to the September 11th Fund total more than $425 million. (Source: United Way of America).  This is the largest act of collective charitable giving to one event or cause in America to date.

2004 
The Lance Armstrong Foundation creates the LIVESTRONG^TM wristband and “Wear Yellow Live Strong” campaign.  Within two years, approximately 55 million people across the globe wear a LIVESTRONG™ wristband in support of people living with cancer. (Source: Lance Armstrong Foundation).

2006 
In June, Warren Buffett announces that he would give $43.5 billion in Berkshire Hathaway stock to a number of private foundations and charities.  Most surprisingly the largest disbursement would be to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ($31 billion), making it the largest single charitable gift in history.  The remainder of the gift would be to Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation; Howard G. Buffett Foundation; Susan A. Buffett Foundation; NoVo Foundation; and the Nuclear Threat Initiative.

President George W. Bush enacts the Pension Protection Act which includes a number of charitable giving incentives and reforms.  It defines and regulates donor advised funds and their grantmaking more specifically; allows donors, for only two years, to make contributions up to $100,000 per year from their individual retirement account (IRA) to a qualifying charity; eliminates fractional gifts of art; disallows charitable deductions for taxpayers who do not itemize; reform gifts of clothing and household items to prevent abuse; increases in penalty excise taxes; and new regulatory requirements on of Type III supporting organizations. (Sources: National Philanthropic Trust, Joint Committee on Taxation)

(1600-1699) | (1700-1799) | (1800-1899) | (1900-1999) | (2000 +)