Philanthropy is much more than making donations—it’s a way of demonstrating your values, interests, and passions. Engaging your family members in your philanthropy can enhance giving and deepen multigenerational connections. Family philanthropy emphasizes shared values, collective decision-making, and the intentional engagement of family members across generations. The most effective multigenerational family philanthropy happens when all generations are empowered to have a voice and seat at the table. However, these early conversations can feel awkward and stressful. The motivations behind philanthropy can be different across generations and having shared agreements may not come naturally within existing family dynamics.
Creating an effective family giving plan requires planning, clear communication among all participants, and the help of a family philanthropy professional. While you can institute your own giving practices within your family, a trusted philanthropic advisor can help create a plan that grows and changes with your family’s charitable goals and financial plans. At the community foundation, we use the 21/64 approach to help guide multigenerational conversations. We use tools to help uncover what you and your family would like your philanthropic legacy to be. Through a series of tailored activities and evaluations, we will learn your charitable goals and help you create a unique family-giving plan to guide your philanthropy for years to come. We work with families to:
- Transform difficult conversations about money and donations into opportunities to explore shared values.
- Create a giving plan that prioritizes your charitable gifts and leaves you feeling impactful, not transactional.
- Help you set goals and strategies for your charitable giving so you can gain confidence in the gifts you make, as well as the opportunities you decline, adding both clarity and intention to your giving.
- Provide insight into local nonprofits and causes you care about.
- Leverage your family’s charitable giving to make progress in the issues you care about most.
Family giving plans are important, tangible records of your family’s charitable wishes. But they also serve as educational workbooks for strategic philanthropy and include files for grantmaking preparation, nonprofit evaluation, community needs assessments, and much more. We would love the opportunity to learn more about you, your family, and your charitable passions and goals. For more information, contact Alex Gr