Philanthropy Expected to Ride New Wave of High-Tech Riches

WASHINGTON — If participants at a White House conference on philanthropy have their way, people who have made their fortunes in the growing world of high-technology will be the social entrepreneurs of the future.

The president and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton were hosts for the conference highlighting the tradition and possible future of philanthropy in America.

“The face of this tradition is changing,” President Clinton said. “Philanthropy is like our country now: more diverse as new groups seize and share opportunity in the new economy.”

Money isn’t the only thing Internet mavens can provide.

America Online Inc. founder Steve Case highlighted a new philanthropic Internet portal--developed by the AOL Foundation, American Red Cross, the National Urban League and other groups--to offer an easy way to donate to more than 620,000 charities.

“We can take all these tens of millions of people who are starting to change their lives because of the Internet and help them to change society because of the Internet as well,” Case said.

But the talk turned again and again to the deep pockets of the cyberlords.

“Silicon Valley and the whole venture capital, high-tech community needs to be at the forefront of what we’re doing because of the same reason Willie Sutton robbed banks,” Clinton quipped. “That’s where the money is.”