How Do Major Donors Think About Philanthropy?

We are mere custodians.

If you take this teaching to heart, it becomes incumbent upon you to take care of those who have not been as blessed.

I love this teaching, because it plays to both our ego and our responsibility. We feel good that we were chosen as recipients of bounty and considered blessed and trustworthy. We also understand this makes us responsible to take care of our brethren.

Major gift philanthropy is often aspirational.

Paul G. Schervish recently co-authored "Wealth and the Will of God: Discerning the Use of Riches in Search of Ultimate Purpose." The book brings a philosophical and theological perspective to questions about what motivates philanthropy by facilitating comparisons to such thinkers as Aristotle, Aquinas, Ignatius, Luther, Calvin and Jonathan Edwards on issues of ultimate purposes or aspirations of human life.

Another book, "Rambam’s Ladder," offers a meditation on generosity and why it is necessary to give. The moral of the story? Give better to live better.

A new wave of conscious philanthropy is rising that reflects these insights and goes far beyond guilt-induced redistribution to the poor for a tax break.

However money is earned, philanthropy enables the giver to use this money for soul-filled purposes.

Major philanthropists want to address root causes. It’s not about Band-Aids.

Today’s philanthropists want to dig deeper into root causes of social ills and rework the very foundations of society. They seek to be strategic, not only with checkbooks, but with talents, effort and time.

People like Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett, Leslie and Anna Dan, Sanford and Joan Weill, Michael Bloomberg and many more fit this major philanthropist profile. They see making money as largely a matter of chance, therefore viewing themselves as conduits who possess a large fortune for the purpose of being able to redistribute it to needy causes in their lifetimes.

How you can help philanthropists to help your cause:

You want change. They want to be change agents. Your job is to make a match!

Begin by standing in your major donor’s shoes. What do they want to accomplish? You have a mission; they have a dream. Find where they align. Then be the bridge that connects them.

Fully engage your philanthropist’s total self—his or her knowledge, values, worldview, beliefs, talents, awareness and skills.

The philanthropic relationship thus involves dreams, ideas, and talents in addition to money. Your job is to create conditions where donors can engage in meaningful growth while partnering with you to make magic happen.

For many wealthy philanthropists, giving is the culmination of their life’s journey. It’s a way their money ultimately carries their true intentions. As Lifestyles concludes:

"More than anything, many of them hope that their lives become increasingly defined by what they allocate rather than what they accumulate.”

P.S. Want to delve deeper into this topic and also learn practical tips for facilitating major gift philanthropy? Please join me for a one-of-a-kind Virtual Major Gifts Master Class Series + Clinic. Also see my companion article, “Are the Rich Motivated to Give Differently?”