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Analysis by Spring Mountain Capital shows that increased spending will profoundly jeopardize the long-term health of endowments. This paper proposes a framework for analyzing spending decisions that can be of use to endowments and other types of investors who need to balance long-term growth objectives with short-term spending needs.

A business-owning family can create a secure foundation for effective multi-generational ownership and control by transferring shares of a family business in trust during the controlling owner's lifetime, and through careful drafting of trust provisions, choice of governing law, selection of a capable trustee and implementation of effective family governance processes, Withers Bergman says.

Although wealthy philanthropists vary in their interests, backgrounds and styles of giving, some patterns emerge. Researchers for Barclays Wealth create profiles for six types of givers – privileged youth, eco givers, altruistic entrepreneurs, reactive donors, cultural inheritors and professional philanthropists – and identify each group's source of wealth, key causes, mode of giving, donation level and motivation.

In the latest issue of Global Giving Matters, the Synergos Institute explores the personal story of a philanthropist's inner journey and relationship with her giving, which has included support of initiatives with highly marginalized groups. This issue also collects brief news items from Argentina, Chile, China, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Gifting may be the place to start in planning a long-term estate planning strategy, according to this paper from Wells Fargo. While gifting can be useful in transferring tax savings, it also can provide a real-time snapshot of the estate plan by allowing the giver to see how beneficiaries accept and respond to the gifts and then to change the estate plan in response.

As social demands increase and government budgets tighten, the need to get maximum impact from increasingly scarce philanthropic funds grows. This paper from Springbanc Social Capital Advisors suggests ways to gain philanthropic leverage so that the potential positive outcome of each donation is enhanced.

The charitable lead trust can be used effectively for the ultra-wealthy to pass property, at death or during life, to charity and family members. The trust is particularly effective for individuals who want to address their charitable interests and also set aside money for future generations' medical, educational or other needs.

Independence, freedom, the ability to choose their own destiny and focus on giving back to their community are the things that motivate extremely affluent women. The ability to pursue work they are passionate about, develop their personal strengths and be of service to those less fortunate make today's wealthiest women happy and fulfilled.

Companies that are responsive to the changing economic, social and environmental landscape, brought about by trends related to climate change, will create opportunities (that will not come without challenges) to grow their businesses and, in turn, create wealth for their stakeholders.

In an era of globalization, corporations may continually find themselves exposed to potential abuses. Thoughtful investors, who recognize the social and business implications of a company's human rights policies, will have a better understanding of both the risks and opportunities to which a company may be exposed.