Children of Soldiers Fund

The New PhilanthropistsMany philanthropists today want something that charitable donors a few decades ago never asked of their beneficiaries: A stronger voice in how their contributions are spent. People are much more astute and sophisticated about holding nonprofits accountable. It’s very easy to look up the tax returns of similar charities on the Internet and then ask, ‘Why are you spending 35% of every dollar on administrative costs when this other charity only spends 25%?New Generation Takes OverBut the desire for accountability is just part of what makes today’s philanthropists different from those who gave in the past. They also want to perpetuate the same entrepreneurial values that, in many cases, gave rise to their fortunes. To them, contributions should provide measurable returns.People are looking at donations not just as contributions, but as investments in a solution. To this point, a growing trend toward strategic, ‘investment-like’ giving aimed at maximizing societal return on investing. Philanthropists are now giving their charities the same kind of disciplined scrutiny they devote to stocks and bonds. These donors are consulting with their Investment Advisors to develop strategies designed to realize the maximum potential of their