Wealth of Wisdom

CHAPTER 59Finding a Philanthropic Focus and Integrating the Rising Generation Perspective

Etienne Eichenberger, Małgorzata Smulowitz, and Peter Vogel

Philanthropy is an important and highly rewarding way for individuals and families to make a difference in a rapidly changing world. Like the world around us, philanthropy is changing and transforming, and philanthropic families are seeking out new ways to ensure that their giving is meaningful and impactful. For this reason, we developed the Family Philanthropy Navigator as an easy-to-use, step-by-step inspirational guide for new and existing philanthropic families to initiate or enhance their journey in giving. This hands-on guide enables families to get together to answer the core questions at the heart of any voyage in giving: Why, What, Who, and How?

The “Focus” stage in the Navigator provides a platform to make choices about the causes, scope, and final port of call for your giving. It helps to define what could interest you and be your focus. For the novice, this is a voyage of discovery; for the established philanthropist, it's an opportunity to conduct a check on the current focus of activities and, if necessary, consider a change of direction. Depending on what drives you to be philanthropically active, you might already have identified a specific problem or cause. For example, if someone in your family has suffered from a disease and your motivation is to help others who suffer from, or to prevent, that disease, your ...