“Life doesn’t come with an instruction manual.” Or so the saying goes.
But while life doesn’t come with a how-to guide, the good news is that philanthropy now does.
The Philanthropy Toolkit – developed by Perpetual and the team at Stanford University’s Centre on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS) for Australian audiences - is your philanthropy instruction manual. It’s a how-to-give guide - whether you’re thinking about giving for the first time or have had a charitable foundation for years but want to be sure it’s having maximum impact.
The new Perpetual/Stanford Philanthropy Toolkit provides the perfect link between head and heart, the two elements of philanthropy that many community-minded, high-net-worth individuals are seeking to harmonise.
“We work with lots of clients with a real passion to do good,” says Perpetual’s National Manager, Philanthropy and Non Profit Services, Jane Magor. “They’ve worked hard, been careful with their money and believe they’ve had their share of good fortune. Their heart says it’s time to give something back. But they’re also intelligent people who want to make sure they give in a focused and effective way. Who want to make sure they’re doing philanthropy that works.”
The Perpetual/Stanford Philanthropy Toolkit closes that loop, addressing all the big philanthropy questions in a wide-ranging but practical fashion. Simple tools like checklists and discussion guides provide a structured way for individual and families to think through – and act - on their philanthropic aims. Delivering philanthropy that comes from the heart and puts the mind to work on making an impact.
Perpetual Private’s Caitriona Fay was deeply involved in the development of the Australian version of the Philanthropy Toolkit. Here’s her introduction to the toolkit - who it’s for, what it does and how it helps.
Doing philanthropy better
So how do you use the toolkit most effectively?
- You can work through the whole toolkit – all six sections– for a complete and comprehensive guide to how think about – and act – on your philanthropy
- Or dive into the sections that speak to the issues you’re concerned about – whether that’s family philanthropy or how to track the effectiveness of your giving (see the boxed section below).
Call in the experts
The other way to use the toolkit is to bring an expert adviser into the mix. The toolkit is designed for self-starter philanthropists – but also for use by an adviser collaborating with individuals, couples and families. They can facilitate discussion and debate and then enact philanthropy decisions that deliver maximum impact, but also take account of a full range of other factors – your succession planning, financial planning, tax situation and much more.
What to do now?
- Talk to your existing adviser about using the Philanthropy Toolkit to optimise your philanthropy. If they don’t have the toolkit, you can download another copy from the link below and share the toolkit with them.
- Reach out to Perpetual via the contact form below. We’ll put you in touch with a Perpetual philanthropy adviser who’s an expert in giving practices - someone who’s been trained to use the toolkit with individuals and families just like yours.
Go where you need to go
The Perpetual/Stanford Philanthropy Toolkit’s modular design means you can jump to the section that will help you the most. Here’s a sampler:
- There are many elements involved in deciding which organisations to support. The guide in Section Five helps you assess organisations on how they address social problems.
- Want a broader view of that selection process? The due diligence worksheet (also Section Five) is a comprehensive framework you can use to assess the quality of NFPs you’re thinking of supporting.
- Working though the toolkit with a trusted adviser can make managing your philanthropy easier and more effective. Turn to Section Two of the kit to see how your advisor can work with you.
Perpetual Private’s Caitriona Fay was deeply involved in the development of the Australian version of the Philanthropy Toolkit..