Here’s how it happens time after time. Someone I haven’t seen for a while asks me how my new business is going? Then they often follow it with “What’s the name again? My Philanthropy?” I always smile and say with emphasis “no, it’s Your Philanthropy.”

What often follows is a quizzical look. I keep smiling, waiting to let them process the difference between my and your – one a pronoun and the other a possessive adjective.

Before I lose you with the grammar lesson, the bottom line is this:

Your Philanthropy isn’t about me, it’s about YOU.

If you go to the home page you will find the following statement that describes our philosophy.

Your Philanthropy believes your giving matters, should align with your values and priorities and have the impact you seek.

Looking beyond Shakespeare’s famous soliloquy about names, roses and the Montagues (keep reading – I promise not to make another English reference) I decided to look up the word name and found it’s defined as an “arbitrary label.”

Business names are rarely arbitrary, intending to send a clear message.

In this case, as our tag line says “When Giving Matters,” then Your Philanthropy is worth investigating.

Sometime in 2010 we started using the name Your Philanthropy. We expected it to take a while for others to catch up to the name change, but we didn’t anticipate the mental gymnastics I now witness. I admit to enjoying the process as the meaning sinks in. Now when this happens it makes this unattributed quote on the web apropos.

“I always wonder what goes through your head when you hear my name.”

I hope the point is clear – when giving matters this is one time it’s all about you.