Future Owners of Impact: Empowering the Younger Generation
Overview
Future Owners of Impact: Empowering the Younger Generation
Danielle Oristian York, Director, 21/64
The next generation can bring unique skills and perspectives to the philanthropic community. However, the prospect of engaging the next generation can be daunting. Next-generation family members have grown up with access to broader opportunities fueled by information technology, increased diversity and global connectedness. The questions they ask, language they use, and even their values and priorities change the way the family communicates. The more a family is able to see that “involving the kids” does not only mean adding children to an existing system, but rather shifting the family paradigm to become multigenerational--embracing what each generation brings to the table--the better prepared they will be for the next phase of the foundation’s evolution, and for meeting the needs of the 21st century.