It is essential to evaluate and assess the return on your philanthropic investments to achieve maximum impact. Taking time to reflect on the successes, failures, and outcomes of previous philanthropic efforts can only improve your strategic...

To create positive and lasting social change, major improvements must be made at the systems level of an issue area. This entails reconfiguring policies, processes, and power structures to remedy complex issues such as poverty, social...

For philanthropists and mission-driven organizations, communication is a powerful tool to generate impact. Distinct from storytelling, a narrative conveys a perspective and gives meaning to that world view. Articulating a philanthropic...

While financial contributions are tremendously valuable, there are numerous ways to give back. The T’s of philanthropy refer to time, talent, treasure, ties, and testimony – and the most effective philanthropists deploy each of these assets...

As a philanthropist, you can set an intention for your resources and define how to deploy your assets. Be sure to consider the value of your entire financial portfolio and support social change efforts in various ways to ensure that all of...

As a philanthropist, you should consider the future. Spending down the capital you’ve designated for doing good within your lifetime is certainly an option. This is especially true if you want to disburse your assets quickly to address...

Historically, private foundations have served as vehicles for individuals and their families to make grants to nonprofits. However, when leveraged to their fullest potential, they can also function well beyond grant making. For example, a...

Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are a convenient and increasingly popular vehicle for philanthropic efforts. By housing charitable assets in a DAF, philanthropists receive immediate tax deduction benefits and can choose to disburse resources to...

Limited liability corporations (LLCs) empower individuals to take a multi-faceted approach to their philanthropy. A handful of prominent philanthropists—many of them from the tech industry—have popularized the LLC model to pursue a range of...

Individuals with a clear philanthropic vision might prefer to concentrate their financial contributions, putting capital behind an organization working toward advancing a specific cause. Known as “big bet” philanthropy, this practice refers...