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In the quest to generate positive social change, family philanthropies face diverse and sometimes competing perspectives. They also must sort through an overwhelming amount of information to make good decisions—and often, that information is too general or limited to be useful. With this research report, clear and focused data goes a long way toward helping families make confident decisions for their family foundations and at each inflection point in their philanthropy.

Even the most enthusiastic and driven donors often become overwhelmed and anxious, causing them to put off, stall, or curtail their giving, which in turn, hinders impact and strips the joy out of philanthropy. In this report, we explore the behavioral science behind the ten most common barriers to giving—such as too many choices, fear of uncomfortable family dynamics, and lack of urgency—and provide effective and actionable ways for you to overcome those barriers.

If you’re philanthropically inclined, you can contribute your life insurance to a 501(c)(3) public charity, like a donor-advised fund. There are two primary methods to contribute life insurance to charity, and each one has different timing and tax benefits. Using a case study, the two options illustrate how donations can maximize the charitable impact.

Tax season is an ideal time to think about your overall financial planning strategies and goals, including charitable giving. In this article, Schwab Charitable provides an overview of the current giving environment, as well as introduce you to five donors to understand their giving strategies in action – and help you consider what might work with your broader family philanthropy planning goals.

Family philanthropy can be transformative for both family members and the communities they serve, sometimes with an impact that lasts generations. However, achieving a positive, enduring impact requires purposeful decision making throughout the lifespan of the family’s philanthropic work. This guide contains worksheets that first help you, as an individual or couple, clarify or update your personal philanthropic purpose and plan.

Along with the guidance of “Defining Your Philanthropic Purpose,” this Road Map workbook will provide donors and their family members with the ability to chart and gain a better understanding of their family’s hope and plans for collaborative, meaningful, and effective philanthropy. As a Road Map, it can become a framework for shared strategies and decision making while strengthening the family engagement in philanthropy.

Reimagined Philanthropy is your indispensable guide to navigating the dynamic landscape of giving. Whether you're just starting your philanthropic journey or looking for new ways to go deeper in your giving, the insights and tools shared here will empower you to architect positive change with intentionality, structure, and focus.

In an era marked by unprecedented wealth transfer and shifting societal dynamics, philanthropy is being called to actively adjust to a new reality. In the middle of all this, younger people are starting to have a bigger say in where philanthropic money goes. They care more about equity, inclusion, and transparency, as well as changing systems that cause problems.

By recognizing there are various charitable giving vehicles that donors use to engage in philanthropy, there is also the recognition that there is no single method that is a universally perfect solution and that there are donors who may wish to utilize more than one structure. So how do families know which charitable structures will work for them?

The explosion of the use of philanthropic vehicles, coupled with massive intergenerational wealth transfer, means that affluent families are giving in more ways, both collectively and individually. Taking a deeper look, researchers found that as families evolve, they face common dilemmas regarding their philanthropy—most critically, the choices they make about balancing the individual philanthropic priorities of their members with a collective family philanthropic endeavor.