Five reasons why you want to engage an independent philanthropic advisor

Why do you want to invest your time working with an independent philanthropic advisor? As the great wealth transfer is taking place, working with an independent philanthropic advisor can help accelerate an effective philanthropic process as assets are changing hands.  Advisors work collaboratively with you and your advising team to reach your collective financial goals.

What is an independent philanthropic advisor?

An independent philanthropic advisor is an expert in the field of philanthropy and works closely with families and corporations to design strategic goals to realize their purpose driven philanthropy.

Reasons to engage an independent philanthropic advisor:

1. They provide clarity. Philanthropic advisors help their clients get clear on what matters most to them to anchor the “why” behind their philanthropy. Having an objective, third party facilitator can help to tease out and affirm motivational values and streamlines the “what” and the “how” of a philanthropic strategy. Philanthropic advisors help craft mission statements and governance structures such as policies and procedures that support effective philanthropy.

2. They help maximize philanthropic impact. Engaging an issue area expert to design a learning journey, make introductions to community change makers and curate an effective portfolio will yield effective and impactful philanthropy. 

3. They give unbiased and objective advice. Philanthropic advisors offer a balanced view of the nonprofit sector. A good advisor’s loyalty is to your mission and goals alone. They make connections to new opportunities solely based on your values and interests. Independent philanthropic advisors are untethered from your assets. Their wish is for their clients to channel charitable assets to the nonprofits of their choice at a pace that works for them. You can engage a philanthropic advisor’s services as you need them to guide strategy. An independent philanthropic advisors’  fees are not tied to assets under management or charitable dollars given. 

4. They build consensus and facilitate tough discussions. Every savvy philanthropist reaches inflection points in their philanthropic journey. Pausing to plan well is vital to effective philanthropy. Engaging an objective facilitator ensures all voices are heard, invites all perspectives and offers best practices in the field to ensure sound strategic planning. A skilled philanthropic advisor can build consensus and find alignment among many points of view. 

5. They bring expertise and empathy.  A savvy philanthropic advisor builds on years of experience in working with major donors and grantmaking in the foundation and corporate sectors. Additionally, you will want to seek out a philanthropic advisor who has experience navigating family dynamics with ultra high networth individuals and engaging the next generation of philanthropists. They build values alignment across generations and family branches. You will want a team that builds on best practices in family and corporate philanthropy. 

Philanthropic advisors are empathetic listeners and have extensive experience in navigating family dynamics and engaging the next generation of philanthropists. They build values alignment across generations and family branches. 

When is it helpful to engage independent philanthropic advisors?

1. You have had a significant wealth event. You have sold a business or inherited significant assets. You want to engage a professional to ensure your assets are maximized for social impact.

2. Your family and its foundation have reached an inflection point. NextGen is ready to join the board, there has been a death in the family; new marriages bring interested spouses to the giving table. All of these situations warrant a retooling of philanthropic governance. 

3. You want to be a more effective philanthropist. You’re tired of giving in a scattered way and want to be more serious about your social impact. Having a plan and budget will provide joy and satisfaction in the giving process.

4. You are interested in defining your legacy. You have reached a point in your life where you want clarity on your charitable impact and how to involve your family in the process.

Ultimately, you can engage a philanthropic advisor to start the process. Their job is to meet you where you are in your philanthropic journey.

About Grant Philanthropic Advisors:

We’re an independent, Charleston-based firm helping clients to focus and maximize their philanthropy—in turn, strengthening the fabric of our communities. Founded in 2019, we help donors move from responsive patterns of giving by assisting clients to identify values and become more strategic in their philanthropy. Our goal is to help donors to become more effective as change-makers. Our team has a combined 100 years of experience working in the field of philanthropy. 

We work with foundations (large and small staff teams), donor advised fund holders, multi generational families, individuals, philanthropy supporting organizations and corporations to design philanthropic strategies. We work with philanthropies that grant $1 million to $40 million annually.  Our clients span the Southeast with a concentration in Charleston, Atlanta and Charlotte.