“Their name tags read like a catalog of the country’s wealthiest and most influential clans: Rockefeller, Pritzker, Marriott. They were there for a discreet, invitation-only summit hosted by the Obama administration to find common ground between the public sector and the so-called next-generation philanthropists, many of whom stand to inherit billions in private wealth. “I think it’s fantastic,” said Patrick Gage, a 19-year-old heir to the multibillion-dollar Carlson hotel and hospitality fortune. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“Dave Moss is only 33 years old. But he’s already helped donate about $5 million. Last year Mr. Moss created the Unfunded List, which critiques start-up nonprofits’ rejected grant proposals and suggests alternative sources of funding. In most settings, Mr. Moss’ story would be exceptional. At a recent Washington gathering of the scions of some of the world’s wealthiest and most influential families, it was just another in the crowd. NEXUS is not your parents’ philanthropy conference. The recent iteration took place at the White House and the United States Institute of Peace over three days earlier this month, a networking bonanza that convened close to 200 young people with names like Bush and Tutu along with idealistic social entrepreneurs and impact  investors.”

“Yet somehow, people used to private jets and luxury events are clamoring for a ticket, all trying to get into an event that has become the unlikely frontrunner in the race to transition optimistic conversations into real actions. Speakers like Alessandra Orofino, the Founder of Meu Rio, and Jack Andraka, the high school senior who created a faster, cheaper, and more accurate test for pancreatic cancer, are two of the many reasons why NEXUS has found success. By putting earnest people on stage who spend more time doing good than talking about it, NEXUS makes their priorities clear. It doesn’t matter if you’re the most eloquent , what matters is that you have a story to tell.”

“If, a generation ago, young heirs the globe over were being groomed to invest the family fortune, they’re now being specifically trained to run massive philanthropic foundations. In part, the trend towards magnanimity can be attributed to calls to action from prominent social activists and youth-oriented politicians. President Obama, for example, has encouraged affluent community leaders to mobilize for an “all hands on deck” approach to solving civic problems. He even extended the White House as a meeting place last year to a group of organizers responsible for staging the recent [NEXUS Youth Summit] conference at the UN at which children of the rich gathered to discuss the importance of strategic charitable giving.”

“‘Philanthropy’ is a term that was once associated with ultra-wealthy retirees who signed big cheques to support charitable causes they are passionate about. But times have changed. Today, the face of philanthropy is a much younger one – and one with a much wider scope to cover today’s emerging challenges.

“While philanthropy still represents a love of humanity, it is no longer just about handing over money. Increasingly, it is also about the planned and structured giving of time, goods and services, influence and voice to improve the wellbeing of our communities.

“Ultimately, philanthropy is a powerful tool to help create social change.”

“The York siblings headed to New York City over the weekend for an important cause: to speak out about the fight to end modern slavery. Princess Eugenie spoke about her work as director of the Anti-Slavery Collective during the NEXUS Summit at the United Nations Headquarters on Saturday, with older sister Princess Beatrice on-hand to show her support.

“It was such an honour to speak @TheNEXUSSummit at the @unitednations about @the_anti_slavery_collective. An initiative I co-founded last year to combat modern day slavery,” the bride-to-be, 28, captioned a series of photos from the event on Instagram. She also shared a quote from English politician William Wilberforce: “You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”