Five steps to creating an effective mission statement
A mission statement helps you create a roadmap for your giving. This article explores five key steps you can take to make the process more effective. 1. Discuss your values Read more…
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Ideas for supplementing your mission statement
It’s important to keep your mission statement concise and focused. That means more descriptive material is better left to supporting documentation. This is an excellent way to further protect your Read more…
Donors who choose to give while living and time-limit what remains
Although allocating all your charitable dollars during your lifetime is becoming popular, it doesn’t appeal to all donors. Some are focused on problems that will become more acute in the Read more…
Five questions to ask before sunsetting your foundation
Giving while living and limited-life philanthropy are choices many donors make out of grave concerns about the future. But these choices also reflect optimism about future wealth creation—that succeeding generations Read more…
Spend-down at the Avi Chai Foundation
Most of the time, donors make the decision to sunset their foundation while they’re still living. In an unusual step, trustees of the New York City-based Avi Chai Foundation took Read more…
Spend-down at the Earhart Foundation
The Earhart Foundation is another example of a board of trustees deciding to sunset after the original wealth creator’s death. Harry Earhart was born in 1870, one of eleven children. Read more…
How spend-down can work for ideological giving: the John M. Olin Foundation
A spend-down approach to your philanthropy could create a golden opportunity to have a significant impact during a short period of time. That was certainly the case with the John Read more…
Five steps to safeguard your donor intent in perpetuity
Many donors concerned with preserving their intent choose to give while living or sunset, but it is still possible to operate your foundation in perpetuity—with no end date in mind—and Read more…
Perpetuity at the Bradley, Weinberg, and Foellinger foundations
There are certainly many examples of philanthropies operating in perpetuity while honoring the original donors’ objectives. This article explores three of them. Some common threads tie them together: A fervent Read more…
Six ways to protect donor intent in family foundations
Establishing family foundations in perpetuity is a popular choice among donors; some estimates suggest as many as two-thirds of family foundations operate in perpetuity. Often, this choice is almost automatic Read more…
Donor intent and family foundations can be a dangerous mix
Money can be an enormously destructive force within families—even money dedicated to charitable purposes. This is true even with careful planning. If your philanthropic goals include operating a family foundation, Read more…
Lessons in family foundations from John and Susan Sobrato
John and Susan Sobrato have a singular philanthropic passion for their family foundation: Make California’s Silicon Valley a place of opportunity for all its residents. They are addressing their mission Read more…
Fidelity to donor intent at the GFC Foundation
While examples of donors successfully protecting donor intent across multiple generations are rare, there are some success models. For example, heirs involved with the Hilton and JM foundations, respectively, have Read more…
Should you choose a private non-operating foundation for your philanthropy?
When it comes to choosing the right vehicle for your philanthropy, the good news is that you have many options. The challenge, of course, is deciding on the best vehicle Read more…
Safeguarding your intent with a charitable trust
If you choose to use a non-operating foundation for your philanthropy, a trust is frequently the better vehicle to protect donor intent. Once your organizational structure and funding guidelines are Read more…
How to write a mission statement to protect your donor intent
A strong, well-crafted mission statement is step number one when it comes to safeguarding your intent. Regardless of your giving timeframe—whether you plan to give while living, sunset your foundation, Read more…
How to give through a charitable trust for your philanthropy
A charitable trust is a sturdy vehicle to protect your donor intent. Once your organizational structure and funding guidelines are in place with a trust, they can only be amended Read more…
How to recover your donor intent when it’s been lost
In the best of circumstances, you, your heirs, or your successor trustees will never experience a donor-intent crisis. But if one does occur, what should you do? Here are steps Read more…
How to give in higher education while protecting your donor intent
Higher education can be among the most rewarding and meaningful areas for your philanthropic dollars. It can also be one of the most challenging sectors for both donor intent and Read more…
How to hire the right staff at your foundation
Your mission is only as strong as your people. Every day, staff members make decisions, large and small, that will determine whether your organization fulfills its mission and adheres to Read more…