What ever happened to the idea of stockholders?

A business wants to raise money for whatever, they sell stock. Then they have stockholders (partial owners of the business).
Getting business capital via free and clear donations is a concept I just don't understand.

The other alternative for most businesses is to borrow money from a bank (a novel idea?).

Rah Rah Rasputin
They put some poison into his wine
He drank it all and said "I feel fine"