Unveiling the anonymous philanthropist: charity in the nineteenth century

This article examines anonymous contributions in nineteenth century charitable subscription lists in order to explore what the phenomenon of anonymity can illuminate about the Victorian culture of philanthropy. Anonymous giving has received little historical scrutiny. The article contrasts the public and private nature of philanthropy and considers why some individuals chose to conceal their identity when making charitable donations. It suggests that the use of anonymity is counter to the idea, prevalent in the historiography, that philanthropists used their wealth to gain public power and prestige. Instead, this article suggests that anonymous giving highlights the personal and private aspect of charitable giving that reflects both the philanthropist's relationship with God and their deeply felt connection with the charitable cause

Philanthropy and secularisation : the funding of Anglican religious voluntary organisations in London 1856-1914

This thesis is an examination of five Anglican home-missionary organisations which operated in the Diocese of London in the latter half of the nineteenth century. These five organisations were all entirely dependant upon the financial support of the Anglican laity to provide their revenue. The main thrust of the thesis is an analysis of the finances of these home-missionary organisations. The initial four questions that this thesis examines are: how did the organisations raise money; who did they solicit support from; to what extent were the societies successful in soliciting financial support to carry out their aims; and did the funding revenue streams remain stable through the period? This is with the main purpose of evaluating the Anglican community's support of these organisations during the period of study, in terms of who gave financial support and how this changed. Drawing on the wealth of material contained in the annual reports of the organisations chosen for this study, this thesis provides a comprehensive analysis of the subscriptions and donations and in doing so identifies an important shift in the gender-base of the laity's support at the end of the period. In seeking to explain the loss of the male funder in the late nineteenth century, the thesis engages with the key wider themes of philanthropy and secularisation. The assumption of this thesis is that modern religious bodies have to function as economic agents, that they need steady sources of income, and have to have mechanisms to raise sufficient funds on an annual basis. It argues that the decline in financial support from the Anglican laity within the period was not a result of failing fundraising techniques of the organisations themselves. Instead, it was a symptom of a wider malaise. The thesis explores the ethos of giving in the latter half of the nineteenth century and argues that an important factor in the decline of giving was the waning of the teaching of the doctrine of Christian stewardship after its mid-century renaissance. It argues that the new generation of Christians born in the latter half of the nineteenth century did not have the same ethos of giving that their parents had held. In doing so, it concludes that this shift was a significant change in the 'consequential dimension' of religion, which is how people behave as a consequence of their faith

Philanthropy and the funding of the Church of England, 1856–1914

The changing relationship between the church and its supporters is key to understanding changing religious and social attitudes in Victorian Britain. Using the records of the Anglican Church’s home-missionary organizations, Flew charts the decline in Christian philanthropy and its connection to the growing secularization of society. This is a highly original contribution to two of the most widely debated issues in modern religious history and the sociology of religion

The Opportunity for building and measuring trust in the energy sector – RACE for 2030 Summary Report

This report summarises the gaps, insights and opportunities in the energy literature for understanding, measuring and building trust in the energy sector in Australia. A review of literature, datasets and case-studies was undertaken by researchers at Queensland University of technology. CSIRO, University of technology Sydney and Curtin University for the purposes of an opportunity assessment for the RACE for 2030 E1 Theme: trust building for collaborative win-win customer solutions in the energy sector. This report offers a new definition of trust in the energy sector, drivers of trust and distrust, and recommendations for future measurement and trust-building practices

Trust building for collaborative win-win customer solutions in the energy sector: RACE 2030 Insights, Gaps and Opportunities Overview

This Research Theme draws together two crucial and related but inadequately understood elements: 1. Understanding customer aspirations and expectations for the energy sector, and, 2. Measuring and enhancing the level of trust between customers and service providers in the energy sector.The priority activities for this research theme will be informed by the opportunity assessment, including an Industry Reference Group and determined with ongoing partner engagement. Examples of activities that could be undertaken during the theme’s lifetime include: Rigorous, reflective and iterative processes of engagement with customers and other stakeholders to understand customer preferences, goals and interests. Measurement and reporting of performance (qualitative and quantitative) relative to these preferences, goals and interests. Consideration of ongoing surveys of customers to measure levels of trust between energy stakeholders. Quantitative and qualitative research to understand the key drivers of trust and distrust. Identification and testing of methods for enhancing trust and best practice models for engaging with consumers. Monitor outcomes of trust building programs to ensure expected benefits. Quantify the potential economic value that can be unlocked through trust building in the energy sector