The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, bestowed by the Carnegie family of institutions since 2001, seeks to inspire a culture of giving by recognizing outstanding philanthropists who reflect the values of Andrew Carnegie and his philosophy of giving—what he called the business of benevolence.

Having amassed what was one of the greatest fortunes of his time, Carnegie, the legendary Scottish-American industrialist, decided to reinvest his fortune in society with the stated goal of doing “real and permanent good in this world.” His philosophy of giving was underpinned by the belief that with wealth comes responsibility. He believed that philanthropy’s main aim, as opposed to charity’s, was to address the causes of social ills rather than their manifestations. Carnegie sought to make individuals and society independent rather than dependent. As he so eloquently put it, “Wealth is not to feed our egos, but to feed the hungry and to help people help themselves.”

The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy honorees personify the ideals of Carnegie’s vision, seeking through their giving to create a world of positive change. They exercise the same wisdom, foresight, and passion in their philanthropic activities as they have in their highly successful professional endeavors. They are catalysts for good who are inspirations to others. They are models for the next generation of philanthropists.

The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy provides a unique platform for discussion regarding philanthropy’s structure, influence, and trends, both in the United States and abroad.

Vision

A culture of giving creates a world of positive change.

Objective

To be a catalyst for good, inspiring the next generation of philanthropists

Core Message

The Carnegie Medal inspires a culture of giving by celebrating innovative philanthropists and shaping the conversation about the field. This year’s medalists are helping to make the world smarter, cleaner, healthier, and more equitable. By honoring their efforts, we seek to encourage others to join them in making the world a better place for all.

The wordmark for the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy is the core element of the visual identity and should be used on all materials, in both print and digital media, thereby creating a strong and consistent visual presence. The wordmark artwork is provided as a 2-line version and a 1-line version. Use the logo version that works best in the layout.

The wordmark has been created with special letterspacing and alignment and should not be recreated or typeset. Use only the digital artwork provided.

The wordmark must always appear in the approved primary color Pantone 289 (navy blue) or gold metallic. The wordmark may appear in Pantone 123 (yellow) or white if used on a dark background. The wordmark may appear in black if color reproduction is not available, such as in a newspaper announcement.

The tartan plaid pattern is inspired by the Carnegie tartan. The tartan plaid can be used as a background graphic, section divider or as the end pages of a publication. The tartan plaid colors come from the approved palette. The pattern may be monochromatic using tints of just one color to achieve the desired balance and subtlety.