This is part of The Globe and Mail’s in-depth look at the evolution of philanthropy. Read more from the series here.
Every year, you give a portion of your earnings to charity. But how much thought do you give to where your money goes? Do your donations reflect your values? Or do you tend give to a mishmash of causes, from your co-worker’s walkathon for animal shelters to the international child adoption program you saw on TV?
Where to start
Regardless of the amount you give, it can be handy to think like a wealthy dowager. Advisers to the rich help them plan charitable giving just as precisely as their investments.
“Strategic philanthropy,” as it’s called, is the opposite of waiting until you look at your tax return to see your ad hoc charity giving.
“It’s good to take a step back and think, even if for only 10 minutes, is that the online charity you want to give to or the cheque you want to write?” says Terry Smith, who steers wealthy clients, families and foundations through their charitable giving at Philanthropic.ca.
“You ask yourself, ‘What do I want to accomplish? What do I believe in? What’s important to me?’ ” says Tom McCullough, who advises families as the president and chief executive officer of Toronto’s Northwood Family Office.
Values, interests and need
Before advisers start to match their clients to specific charities, they play the role of psychologist.
Ms. Smith will walk her clients – who donate from $200,000 to millions a year – through various checklists, asking them to weigh the importance of, say, innovation compared with tradition, or community compared with personal growth. How important is democracy? Justice? Family?
Then, she’ll show them a list of about 50 generic fields of charitable work, including economic development, ethnic communities, poverty and health, to rank according to their interests.
Mr. McCullough says, ideally, once an adviser knows more about what a client is passionate about, he can then “twin it with the world, where there is need.”
For some, it’s more about making an impact than it is about the particular cause. Mr. McCullough says Bill Gates wannabes are drawn to groups such as the U.S.-based Arabella Philanthropic Investment Advisors, which publishes regular reports on “high-impact giving opportunities.” Its recent picks: charities aimed at curbing childhood obesity in the home and in child-care settings.
Need more help?
Ms. Smith says many clients still need a nudge to focus on what they care about. She’ll ask more direct questions: Has someone close to you been affected by an illness? Would you support a charity in memory of a loved one? Do you want to support local projects, or initiatives across the country or in other countries? What are your friends supporting? Do you share any of their interests?
Put it in writing
Write up a mission statement, just as any foundation might do. “It’s a good idea to write it down – it’s a good dinner table conversation: ‘What do we believe in? What in our history is important?’ ” Mr. McCullough says.
He says the list of possible motivations is endless. Guilt. A family role model who has always given. “Or some event that forces you into those existential questions of what’s enough and what’s important.”
How much to give?
This is where you have to go with your gut. In Canada, the median annual donation is $250. Can you do better?
Mr. McCullough says many people use the traditional church tithe figure of 10 per cent of income – either gross or net.
There’s also the concept of “enough,” he says. “People will say, ‘X is enough money for me,’ then put any money beyond that into a foundation for charity.”
How many charities?
The experts offer mixed advice when it comes to deciding on whether to pool your donations or spread them around.
