In 2016, a major new reference book created by Zinsmeister, the "Almanac of American Philanthropy", was published after three years of in-depth research. The book has been described as the authoritative reference on private giving in the U.S. It contains sections on America's greatest givers, living and dead; the major achievements of American philanthropy in nine areas (including Medicine, Education, the Arts, Religion, Overseas giving, Local projects, and so forth); an annotated list of essential readings in the field; a collection of leading quotes on philanthropy; a 22-page foldout timeline mapping important philanthropic events in the U.S. from 1636 to 3015. Zinsmeister's long introductory essay analyzes the cultural importance of philanthropy to the success of the United States. He created a "Compact Edition" of the "Almanac of American Philanthropy" in 2017.