Walking to the front of the room I knew I had one job to accomplish. I needed to thank officers, welcome new board members and especially turn the reins over to the new board chair. But as I turned to face the audience, it separated into the faces of spouses, children, friends, and co-workers who had one thing in common. Virtually everyone in the room had lost someone close while under the watchfu ...[Read More]
How to Give from the Heart and Still Be Smart
Tips to Answer Your Question “Are the kids ready?”
This story captured my imagination. I’ll tell you why shortly. First, the story. A certain farmer had become old and ready to pass his farm down to one of his two sons. When he brought his sons together to speak about it, he told them, “The farm will go to the younger son.” The older son was furious! “What are you talking about?!” he fumed. The father sat patiently, thinking. “Okay,” t ...[Read More]
How to Get Started on Being an Intentional Donor
Is time your friend or foe? One moment it crawls at a snail’s pace and the next minute rushes by like a rabbit in a race with a dog. In my experience, the rabbit always wins the race and my snail-paced moments are rare. As I write today the year is one-twelfth over, 8% gone, and halfway to Christmas. Well, I know it’s not quite that far gone, but it sure feels that way. Since we can’t slow the cal ...[Read More]
How to Give Bill Gates Style
Make it fun! That’s how Bill Gates tells us he gives. If your first thought is “oh, sure, with all that money, of course, he can have fun,” stay tuned. Before we jump into what Bill says, let’s start with what it must have been like to be his parents. Do you suppose that Bill and Mary Gates had any inclination their son Bill would start a company and become mega-wealthy after dropping out of Harva ...[Read More]
How Looking Back Can Fuel Tomorrow’s Change
January usually begins with resolutions for the future. But before resolutions can be made we need time to reflect on the past. I asked the question: what have we accomplished in the last five years at Your Philanthropy? A little math was in order. Just how much good had seven foundations and several major donors accomplished? Thirty-seven million. Yes, that’s what I said; actually, it’s $37,323,7 ...[Read More]
How to Fill the Empty Seat at the Holiday Table
Is someone missing from your holiday gatherings this year? It seems there is always an empty chair at the table. Someone you just lost or lost many years ago, someone who is across the country or simply at another gathering -whatever the reason, the chair is still empty. The holidays are full of triggers, memories that flood into our minds and can change our mood instantly. Sometimes it’s another ...[Read More]