The adage "give a man a fish, you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime" is, for many, at the heart of the difference between philanthropy and charity. People often use the terms 'philanthropy' & 'charity' interchangeably and think the two are synonymous. Social scientists consider this incorrect and rightly so.

Charity refers to the relief of suffering while philanthropy is the seeking out of the root causes of social problems and solving them.

When the charitable person makes a donation, he gives whatever he's got on him or he conscientiously writes a cheque for a sizable sum and hands it off to a grateful beneficiary. When your philanthropist, on the other hand, makes a grant, that money comes from a foundation, or a giving circle, or a donor-advised fund, where the money is invested for social benefit.

Contemporary philanthropy usually focuses on interests and concerns of all income classes, while charity on the other hand has come to mean serving mainly, if not only, the poor, disabled and needy.

There is also a difference in the ways the two are carried out. While charity creates an dependent relationship between the giver and the receiver, philanthropy seeks to empower and enable sustainability. Give a man a fish, feed him for today. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime. Charity is for today; philanthropy is forever.