Philanthropy can powerfully assist a family in shaping its values and, through its organization and practice, it can also teach a family how to govern itself.
Philanthropy is, perhaps, the fundamental expression of personal and family values. If the family mission statement is an expression of these values, philanthropy is often the best way to move them into practice. Philanthropy can often be a means for family members who are isolated from society by their wealth to connect with the larger issues of the world and to find an active and meaningful place in it.
From Carnegie and the Astors, in the nineteenth century to Gates, Buffett, and Zuckerberg today, American society has been blessed by the willingness of families to give back substantial parts of their wealth for the betterment of mankind. These individuals and families understand that philanthropy improves the lives of their family members and, most important, the lives of us all.
We are always impressed, when we speak to later-generation members of old families, by the pride expressed when they discuss their ancestors. These family members express great pride in the financial acumen of their forbears and appreciation for the financial benefits that have accrued to them as a result. There is, however, a special lilt to their voices when philanthropy is discussed. Many of the later-generation family members have continued the philanthropic work of their ancestors, albeit in fields of activity that their ancestors could not have imagined and, in some cases, would not have approved. The important thing is that family values of stewardship and giving back were inculcated in the family value system. Even more important, they are active values, calling for family members to participate in the world by sharing their human, intellectual, social, and spiritual capital and, where appropriate, their financial capital.
As Virginia Esposito, founder of the National Center for Family Philanthropy, has written, family philanthropy brings special gifts not just to families but to society at large:1
In addition to its social benefits, family philanthropy creates benefits for the families who engage in it. To continue with Ms. Esposito’s observations:
While gifts of financial capital are important, it is the gift of human capital that is key to the use of philanthropy as a tool for long-term family wealth preservation. It is the sharing of self that makes philanthropy a critical contributor to the preservation of the human assets on the family balance sheet.
Where does philanthropy fit in a family governance structure?
Many families also use the organization of a philanthropic entity as the first step in the shared journey of growing complete family wealth.
To start, if your family does not already come together to give, you may want to encourage each family member to reflect on these questions, and then meet to discuss your answers. The discussion can serve as the basis for starting to plan for shared giving.
Philanthropy offers every family the chance to experience the joy of rediscovering its most important values and offers a family a way to share the thrill of helping others. It also tightens family bonds—the family glue—by recognizing and acknowledging the creativity and passions of each member.
As we have discussed throughout this book, the key to making family philanthropy work is to recognize the developmental stages of individual family members. Many parents try to engage their late-teen or early 20-something children in philanthropy. For some children, this works just fine. For others, the developmental need to make their own way in life outweighs the desire to “give back.” Parents should understand this possible disconnect and not take it as a sign of a child’s lack of care.
In addition, to engage young adults in philanthropy, make sure that the process feels open and inviting. There is no greater turn-off than to leave your friends and race home from college for a family foundation meeting, only to find that all the funds are already allocated by the senior generation. Too many rules and restrictions around grant-making can also alienate younger family members, especially if they had no voice in setting up those rules. Alternatively, think of subjects that will draw them in. For example, we have seen many families effectively include impact or sustainable investing in their philanthropic entities. These types of investing attract family members of all ages, but they may particularly appeal to young people who are seeking to change the world in a variety of ways at once. Finally, remember the long-term goal: engaging the rising generation in the habit of giving. If you disagree with some of their priorities or choices, it may be politic to hold your tongue. Let them learn if a grant turns out to be disappointing or inefficient. They will learn much more effectively from experience than from being told so by their elders.
We have given a strong recommendation for family philanthropy because we believe it is or can be a deeply positive experience. Professional philanthropists like to describe themselves using words like “efficient,” “effective,” and “strategic.” While family philanthropy can be all these things, too, we believe that it can be more. At its best, it captures the quality of magnificence.
Magnificence is a virtue described first by Aristotle, a virtue of spending large amounts of money. One of the curious things about magnificence is that it need not strictly be charitable. It can encompass charity, but it may also involve spending to get a return. In this sense, it can encompass what today is called socially responsible investing: investing to get a return both for yourself and for others.
The most important feature of magnificence is that it is fitting: the expenditure fits the person doing it, the person receiving it, and the occasion. A very beautiful toy may be a magnificent gift for a child, even if it does not cost a lot. A small charitable donation—or a small investment—that helps launch a new, ground-breaking institution could also be magnificent.
Aristotle also says that the magnificent expenditure evokes wonder. It causes others to look less at us—the spenders—and more at the result. And that result, he says, is “cosmic,” literally, “an ordered whole.” A magnificent expenditure brings people together. Maybe that is through setting up a school, or funding a factory, or hosting a splendid gala. By evoking our human response to beauty and order, magnificence inspires reflection and hope.
However, if these thoughts on magnificence sound like they are temptations to pride, here is one more point to consider: while charitable recipients need such things as food, clothing, and shelter, philanthropists need something, too: charitable recipients. Families do not meet in boardrooms for their own sake. Nor do they make site visits or read grant proposals or learn about organizational efficiencies for the fun of it. They do all these things for the sake of the health, education, and growth of their charitable recipients. The well-being of charitable recipients is the true end or goal of family philanthropy, as it is for philanthropy more generally.