China’s dramatic economic growth is drawing attention to charitable giving. In late 2014, the International Monetary Fund declared China the world’s largest economy, surpassing the United States. Simultaneously, a new class of wealthy Chinese have arisen.Audience members will engage with presenters in conversation about the cultural, social, economic, and political context of China and the U.S. and their impacts on effective giving. The discussion will also consider trends in transnational giving and perceptions of philanthropists of Chinese descent in China, the U.S., and worldwide.

China’s dramatic economic growth is drawing attention to charitable giving. In late 2014, the International Monetary Fund declared China the world’s largest economy, surpassing the United States. Simultaneously, a new class of wealthy Chinese have arisen. By some estimates, China has 430 billionaires compared to 537 in the U.S. And the rate of growth of millionaires in China is equivalent to the rate of the U.S. In 2010, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett visited with wealthy Chinese to encourage philanthropy, and Jack Ma, China’s biggest philanthropist last year, declared the establishment of one of China’s biggest philanthropic trusts. Despite the growth and activity, philanthropy in China is still nascent. This public talk will explore trends among philanthropists in China as well as among Chinese American philanthropists in the United States. Speakers will provide context and emerging trends and present the framework of the “Global Chinese Philanthropy Initiative” – an ongoing research project to explore the  motivations and impacts of Chinese and Chinese American philanthropists. Audience members will engage with presenters in conversation about the cultural, social, economic, and political context of China and the U.S. and their impacts on effective giving. The discussion will also consider trends in transnational giving and perceptions of philanthropists of Chinese descent in China, the U.S., and worldwide. Event participants are encouraged to offer their perspectives and engage in lively conversation.

Victor Kuo 郭恩勝 Ph.D., is a consultant, researcher, and evaluator who has spent fifteen years helping philanthropic foundations measure their social impact. Currently, he is founder of VK Global Advising and leads projects in strategic planning, evaluation, and organizational development. Previously, he was a senior consultant with FSG Social Impact Advisors, evaluation officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and research associate in the Evaluation and Learning Services unit at the David & Lucile Packard Foundation. He has consulted on developing evaluation systems, evaluation planning, and conducting evaluations of projects in early childhood education, K-12 education, post-secondary education, conservation and the environment, arts and culture, health, and civil society. Dr. Kuo currently holds the position of Director of Strategic Planning and Research at Seattle Colleges which serve 50,000 and are the largest community college system in Washington State, USA. He earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University, MA from Teachers College Columbia University, and BA from Pomona College.

Tianli (Tilly) Feng 冯天丽, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. She was a visiting associate professor at Stanford University during the 2013-2014 academic year, and a visiting scholar at the University of California, Irvine during the 2012-2013 academic year. Her research mainly focuses on philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, corporate social responsibility and NGOs. She has been responsible for several national research projects supported by grants from the National Nature Science Foundation of China (71302081), the Chinese Scholarship Council (No.201208510065), and the Arts and Social Science Research Fund of China Education Department (10XJC630004). Dr. Feng earned her Ph.D. from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. She is a member of the Academy of Management (AOM) and the International Association for Chinese Management Research (IACMR).

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