In Philanthropy What Matters Most Is Not the Money but the Thought Behind HOW the Money Is Given
The Gift of a Successful Family Business
Are you a generous person? Is yours a generous family? Creating and sustaining a successful family business can, in itself, be an expression of generosity. Firstly, the business provides a product or service that is in demand. Secondly, it creates employment opportunities through which workers earn wages to provide for the needs of their families. Thirdly, it develops the human capital of its workforce, enabling people to learn, gain new skills, and expand their contributions to the world. Finally, it increases the wealth of family and non-family owners.
The dedicated service of a leadership team makes all this possible. Their commitment, investment, and sacrifice create the business and keep it competitive. The resulting financial security is nice. However, for many entrepreneurs money is not the primary motivator. All in all, we believe that creating and sustaining a successful family business is worth celebrating for the ways it contributes to our quality of life. “When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.” (Prov. 11:10)
Many Other Ways to Give
Yet there are many other ways to give. In her Master Class on the subject, Melinda French Gates argues that everyone can give, whether they give of their time, their expertise, their voice (in advocacy), or their money.
But Giving Well is Hard
Major financial donors like Gates have learned from experience how difficult it can be to give money away wisely and well. In his 1889 essay “The Gospel of Wealth,” Andrew Carnegie warned that in many cases a donor’s bequest has been so misused as to become “a monument to his folly.” He continued, “It is well to remember that it requires the exercise of not less ability that that which acquires it, to use wealth so as to be really beneficial to the community.”
In other words: do you know how much thought, effort, learning, and discipline was required to create your family business? Well, that’s roughly what will be required to become a successful philanthropist.
Using Wealth to Promote Human Flourishing
Philanthropy, from the Greek philanthropia, literally means love of human beings, practical goodwill toward human beings in general. So being philanthropic means promoting the happiness and well-being of one’s fellows. Sounds easy. Deceptively so! After all, why should that be so hard to do?
Because giving carelessly without regard to the impact and consequences can actually create more problems than it solves.
The Perfect Gift
In 1998 Dr. John Wimmer hired me as part of a team tasked with turning the Lilly Endowment’s vision for the Indianapolis Center for Congregations into reality. The next several years was a rich season of learning for me. And when John then learned that I would be leaving Indianapolis to work full-time for the Kern Family Foundation, he gave me a book: The Perfect Gift: The Philanthropic Imagination in Poetry and Prose (IU Press, 2002). What I learned from working with John, and from the book he gave me, and from my 17 years at the foundation, was the inestimable value of a gift well given.
Press releases about grant awards, check presentation ceremonies, and other announcements of philanthropic activity often draw focus mainly for the amount of money involved. But by honoring the value of the widow’s mite, Jesus taught that it’s not the amount per se that’s most noteworthy.
In philanthropy, what’s most significant, praiseworthy, and precious is not the obvious gift of money, but the thought behind how the money is given. American philanthropy is uniquely robust. It’s one of our competitive advantages. And while there are regrettably many monuments to folly in our philanthropic history, there are also some compelling success stories of donors using wealth so as to be really beneficial to the community.
How We Can Help
Our workshops and facilitation can help you craft a philanthropic strategy that is rooted in your family’s unique history, congruent with your deepest values, and effective in achieving your chosen aims. Use the form below to contact us today.
