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This chapter discusses philanthropy in Egypt. Private philanthropic giving in Egypt is estimated at no less than EGP5.5 billion annually, and Egyptian philanthropy is experiencing a period of vigorous transformation. The revival of religious benevolence, adaptive government attitudes toward private sector social ventures, expanding national and regional interest in social responsibility, and a conviction that charity needs to be supplemented with sustainable institutions that support development initiatives are just a few of the factors driving institutional philanthropy in Egypt. Many obstacles remain, however. A lack of trust stemming from the historical legacy of government confiscation of family, community, and other endowments has left many hesitant to participate in institutionalized giving.

This chapter discusses philanthropy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Philanthropy is publicly manifest in the vibrant fundraising that takes place at all levels of the population, and in the positive response it receives. A relationship of intrinsic trust exists between philanthropic institutions and the public, as evidenced by the flow of SAR2 billion in donations to only one institutional modality, associations linked to the Ministry of Social Affairs. One weak side of the trust triangle is between the philanthropic organizations and government regulators. This aspect of institutionalized philanthropy requires considerable development to foster a more enabling environment for philanthropic and charitable organizations to expand their role and contribution to the development of society in Saudi Arabia.

This chapter discusses philanthropy in Palestine. Palestinians have a rich culture of philanthropy that has helped to sustain social and economic well-being through conflict and prolonged occupation. Over Palestine's long history of philanthropic giving, several different trends of organized giving for social good have emerged. Today, most philanthropic institutions in Palestine are registered under Palestinian law, and organizations that are registered abroad usually try to reregister as a branch of a foreign organization working in Palestine. In general, citizens enjoy a liberal environment when it comes to establishing organizations in Palestine and a rather free and tolerant atmosphere regarding media and freedom of expression. However, recent political developments following the Hamas election victory and takeover in Gaza are threatening to undermine these fragile achievements.

This chapter discusses philanthropy in the Kingdom of Jordan. Although Jordan is not a wealthy country by world standards, the philanthropic sector in the country is thriving and the private sector is fully engaged. Private philanthropic giving in Jordan has grown into a multimillion-dollar industry, one that is undergoing a vigorous transformation. The institutionalization of philanthropy in Jordan is rapidly increasing, with many philanthropists thinking in terms of long-term social change as opposed to charitable giving.

This chapter discusses philanthropy in Kuwait. Since the 1970s, Kuwait has produced excellent models of updated and institutionalized forms of giving. The model of sustained corporate contributions for scientific research could be expanded to other sectors and adapted in other parts of the region. Likewise, the example of productive relations between civil society organizations and government oversight bodies could be used as a model and bears further analysis. Transparency and management professionalism are distinctive marks of the Kuwaiti experience. As investment levels increase in Kuwait, levels of corporate engagement also can be expected to rise. Like many of the countries included in this study, Kuwaiti philanthropists are just beginning to grapple with the different tools necessary to shift from a predominantly charitable to a more strategic approach in their giving.

This chapter discusses philanthropy in Qatar. Qatar's charitable activities include both traditional and creative modes of channeling philanthropy. Since these philanthropic initiatives are relatively recent, perhaps the main recommendation that could be made is that they focus on continued growth and diversification. Like-minded initiatives should establish productive avenues of communication among themselves to ensure the effectiveness of their giving and to avoid duplication. The momentum corporate philanthropy has gained over the past few years needs to be maintained, with greater emphasis placed on institutionalization. Currently, most corporate social responsibility initiatives take the form of financial donations or in-kind contributions to worthy causes, but companies are expected increasingly to seek to align their core business activities with goals and programs that engage the entire work force and supply chain in addressing sustainable development and attacking poverty at its roots.

This chapter discusses philanthropy in Lebanon. Because of a number of constraints on data collection, it was not possible to cover Lebanon's philanthropic landscape fully. Researchers were struck by the resilience and determination of those they did meet, who have sustained the sector through many years of uncertainty, often at substantial personal risk. A new generation of business leaders and philanthropic actors are consciously deciding to operate through the creation of secular Lebanese rather than sectarian institutions. The weak presence of the government has both contributed to a climate of relative independence for the civil sector and strengthened the role of philanthropic institutions in basic service provision. Despite many cases where constituents subscribing to particular religious or political groups are the principle beneficiaries of philanthropic organizations, the trend is toward more all-inclusive programs and impacts.