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When it is time to activate your philanthropy strategy, your approach should be informed by the trends that are shaping the charitable giving landscape. By understanding and embracing new trends and the role philanthropy plays as a tool for positive change, families and nonprofits can strengthen their philanthropic programs and legacies for generations to come.

Families of wealth often ask for views on two related topics—how to think about philanthropy versus impact investing and how to best implement a socially and/or environmentally impactful investment strategy. While common themes transcend these topics, each is distinct and presents an opportunity by allowing families to engage in a powerful combination of both philanthropy and impact investing.

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.

Family offices are often tasked with managing a family’s philanthropy but may have limited knowledge and resources. Several best practices can help both families and family offices lead philanthropic efforts to heighten their impact.

Why do you and your family want to give? While it can be difficult to answer, defining and articulating a clear philanthropic purpose should be your north star. Designed to help take stock of your values and understand the passions and experiences that have shaped your family, this primer is the first in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy. The remaining six series of the primers and related resources are available here and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

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 seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

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 by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

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 seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

Teaching the joys, benefits, and responsibilities of philanthropy is often a top-down process. For most families, the starting point in encouraging a philanthropic mindset in children is to identify specific values that matter to them and to live by those values. Most important, continue to set a good example through meaningful actions and active giving plans.

Good intentions do not make for philanthropic success on their own. Blind spots cost philanthropists—and the causes they espouse—dearly. To make the most of their philanthropic dollars, donors practice due diligence. But when concepts of diversity and inclusion are added to basic due diligence, the result can create a philanthropy that is both responsive and efficient. Any philanthropist can benefit from adopting a policy of including diverse voices at all levels of their giving program. This guide aims to show how that can be done.