This guide reviews various ways to assess philanthropic impact. It looks at what assessment can accomplish and what it has difficulty measuring. It sets out a series of questions donors can ask as they consider how to proceed with their philanthropy. And finally, it details some of the limitations inherent in trying to understand exactly how donors...
Black swan events—like the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID pandemic—often come with high velocity and are slow to recover. While these events are difficult to predict, the best way to get ready for the next crisis is with extreme preparation. Looking ahead with intentional risk management, here are 8 ways to prepare your business, family enterp...
Charitable giving is an important goal for many investors. Although any form can be beneficial, proper planning of the when, what, and how can help maximize the donor’s philanthropic as well as overall wealth planning goals. In examining some common charitable giving strategies, the advantages and disadvantages are discussed, and examples are prese...
Despite the challenging economic headwinds and shockwaves of 2022 continuing to reverberate, there are silver linings for those who focus on planning for the long term. In looking ahead, we examine wealth planning strategies through the power of resilience from four different lenses: multigenerational families, business owners, women, and philanthr...
In this second paper of a two-part series on philanthropy and sustainable investing, we outline how families may wish to identify opportunities within sustainable and impact investing themes. Along with four guiding principles to help create an impactful portfolio, we discuss the broad opportunity set, how to construct and then actively manage...
For charitably minded individuals, cryptocurrency investments—such as Bitcoin and Ethereum—held more than one year may provide a unique opportunity to leverage highly appreciated assets to achieve maximum impact with charitable giving. By donating cryptocurrency to charity, it can also unlock additional funds in two tax-smart ways. For more insi...
Across the world, philanthropy is undergoing a transformation that offers both exciting opportunities and complex challenges. With so much in flux, emerging donors and established funders are seeking new models not only for funding strategies and impact measures, but also for organizational design and management systems that will serve them well in...
A historic agreement was reached in 2015 when member states of the United Nations came together and signed “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” which included a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs charted a way forward to a just, secure, and sustainable future for people and the planet. This...
With impact investing, the viability and projected growth of the creative economy is not easily seen. But when using the “creativity lens” that looks at creative activity beyond the limits of art and culture, a different story emerges. It can be seen that impact investing in the creative economy has been hiding in plain sight. This study by Rockefe...
Impact investing, which seeks to generate social and/or environmental benefits while delivering a financial return, is expanding as a promising tool for both investors and philanthropists. This guide is part of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ Philanthropy Roadmap series and acts as an introduction to impact investing. To consider the next ste...
Developing an impact investing strategy and taking subsequent action steps can be organized into three stages: Prepare, Build, and Refine. In this guide, which builds from the introductory guide on impact investing, the three phases are explored further to explain how to take practical steps towards implementing your first impact investment.
The way individuals are approaching philanthropy has evolved in recent years, with philanthropists taking the very best of the corporate world and adding more rigor and measurement to how they give back to social causes, reprioritizing how and where they invest, and going beyond financial contributions to direct both time and talent to their philan...
The form of your giving must follow the function you intend for your philanthropy. Explore the vehicles and structures available to you and how to determine which best supports your philanthropic goals. This primer is the second in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of s...
How will you use your resources to achieve your philanthropic purpose? Learn how to consider the context in which you are operating, the role you want to play within that context, and what processes you need to implement to achieve those goals within your role. This primer is the fourth in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle...
Effective philanthropy is a process of continual learning. An assessment plan will help you define and measure the progress of your partners, your strategy, and the governance and operations of your social impact vehicles. Find out how to create a robust learning agenda and assessment plan. This primer is the fifth in a series of seve...