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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The most effective donor-intent safeguards are internal: Creating a strong mission statement, picking the right timeframe and appropriate vehicle for your giving, and choosing the right people for your board, Read more…
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are one of the simplest ways to protect your charitable intent.
If you seek maximum flexibility in your philanthropy, consider bypassing the tax-exempt route and forming a for-profit limited-liability company (LLC). The benefits of LLCs in charitable work are numerous: wider Read more…
It’s one thing to pick board members you know and trust while you’re living. It’s another to plan successfully for board succession after you’ve passed. Donor-intent violations often occur during Read more…
Your board members will make or break your donor intent. It’s that simple. No matter your mission, timeframe, or giving vehicle, the people you select to assist or shepherd your Read more…
Time-limiting foundations, or “sunsetting” them, is an idea that has grown in popularity during the past few decades. Are you focused on problems that will become more acute in the Read more…
It’s often advisable to supplement your mission statement with an addendum containing more detail. As a donor, you may wish to include documentation outlining: • Your principles and beliefs • Preferred Read more…
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…
The notion of spending much of one’s fortune while living is a concept briskly taking hold in philanthropic circles around the globe. Giving away money fast—to do good right now—is Read more…
One of the more popular philanthropic vehicles chosen by donors is the private non-operating foundation. “Non-operating” simply means that your foundation’s primary goal is to make grants to nonprofits that Read more…
Your board members will make or break your donor intent. It’s that simple. No matter your mission, timeframe, or giving vehicle, the people you select to assist or shepherd your Read more…
Family-wide generosity can be a wonderful thing—a source of great satisfaction and multiplied good.
Few philanthropic figures have had a greater impact on the world of donor intent than Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck from 1908 until 1924. Rosenwald’s wide-ranging philanthropic interests included Read more…
Is sunsetting the best way to prevent a charitable endowment from drifting away from donor intent? It definitely tops the list, but it’s not the only option. Wise givers have Read more…
The first step you can take to protect your donor intent is also the simplest—put it in writing and be specific. As elementary as this sounds, many famous philanthropists never Read more…