But philanthropy experts agreed that he had succeeded in creating an aura of a truly altruistic person, as reflected in his warm reception on university daises.

Mr. Best and his aunt serve as the official board of DonorsChoose, but philanthropy experts say it will need a bigger, more independent board to govern it going forward.

Further eroding international giving are suspicions by law enforcement agencies that some foreign charities are acting as financial fronts for terrorists, some philanthropy experts say.

The results of Christ Lutheran's program, religious philanthropy experts say, mirror the larger national trend: more dollars from a smaller number of donors.

As a result, retail executives and philanthropy experts said, charity is no longer an option - it is a requirement for stores.

Charity rating organizations have been criticized by philanthropy experts for the validity of their evaluation methods and their conclusions.

They plan to consult with philanthropy experts, Bill and Melinda Gates included.

The philanthropy expert Waldemar A. Nielsen said that the Kellogg Foundation "is substantially better than it is generally seen to be".

All charitable grants for climate change programs add up to nearly $100 million a year, according to philanthropy experts.