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Family Philanthropy
TPI works with families to help them make their philanthropy highly effective and strategic, as well as a deeply rewarding shared enterprise.
Effective Philanthropy
In TPI's experience, effective family philanthropy typically incorporates the following principles:
- Philanthropic gifts reflect the family's highest values, greatest interests and deepest passions
- There is a focus to much of the giving ? be it a specific issue, population, place or type of gift ? to maximize knowledge
- It builds on the experience, lessons learned and due diligence of others
- It looks for leverage to enhance impact
- While the giving is guided by a plan, it retains sufficient flexibility to respond to unexpected opportunities
- It is unafraid to think big and risk occasional failure
- It keeps a vigilant eye on desired outcomes and results, and is structured to learn from both positive and negative experiences
- Grant recipients are viewed as partners.
Rewarding Family Experience
The potential rewards of a family giving enterprise are extraordinary. Some of the benefits and rewards that our clients have experienced include the following:
- A chance to express and act upon the family's shared values
- An opportunity to strengthen and pass on a family legacy
- Deepened connection to each other and the outside world
- An intergenerational common ground
- A venue to learn about the meaning and responsibilities of wealth
- A challenge to make a significant difference in the world
- An odyssey of shared learning about the world and each other.
Working with Families
TPI may work with families as their professional staff, as adjuncts to their staff, or on a project basis. Examples of how our family clients use TPI's counsel and support include:
- When first launching a family giving enterprise to help the family develop a giving plan, set up a governance and operating structure, and generally get off to a good start
- At critical transitions ? e.g.. bringing the next generation into the family giving, upon the death of the donor, etc.
- When the family is ready to refresh and refine their giving strategy, or is interested in developing a new strategic giving initiative
- As ongoing professional staff to manage the family's strategic giving program as well as handle all back-office administrative functions
- As coach for family members who are preparing to take on the responsibilities for the family philanthropy
- As facilitator for family retreats.