Isn’t this what giving is all about – putting yourself in the shoes of someone else and asking yourself how you would feel in their position. Until we have a true understanding of the “needs” of others we cannot “effectively” help.

This just-invented word describes philanthropy that has lots of room for creativity, generosity, and big ideas. The new ending brings shades of ‘spacious’, ‘capacious’, and even ‘audacious’.

The philanthropacious donor gives the kind of gifts that enable nonprofits to explore new frontiers, encouraging innovation, involvement, and unconfined ideas. He or she is wise, happy, and comfortable in active philanthropy, satisfied to let it soar, perhaps in a number of new directions.

Humility is the quality of modesty and respectfulness in your dealings with others, particularly grantees.

Humility in philanthropy implies the ability to assume you don’t have the answers to the problems you are solving, to accept that most of the people you are supporting have earned much more of a right to speak on the subject matter than you, and to know that the problems you are able to make headway on will be, if you are lucky, only tangentially the result of your efforts.

Social impact is critical to great philanthropy. Great act of philanthropy bring communities or groups of people together to make a difference that has tangible impact (improving the life of another person, helping the environment). While I wholeheartedly support random acts of kindness to people in need, great philanthropy rallies people to make a quantifiable impact on an issue/cause. Philanthropy is sustainable when resources are pooled and metrics/results of the efforts can be shown.

of what it aims to achieve;
of how to measure its impact;
of avoiding complacency;
and of what is actually needed.

Democracy

Great philanthropy is American democracy at its best.

When private foundations build public libraries and institutions of higher learning we are empowered to be a better people and a civil society. When private foundations fund lasting innovations in medical and scientific research we are empowered to be a healthier society. When private foundations use philanthropy to support solutions to needs not yet imagined, we will be a stronger nation, and one that continues to value liberty and justice for all.

The reason why I think it does it is that it speaks about the drive, and not the means or the outcomes. We have cases like the one of social entrepreneurship, in which basically people operate like traditional entrepreneurs to do philanthropy. On the side of the outcomes, there are cases of philanthropical actions that just don’t deliver for x or y reason. Maybe someone establishes this organization, with the best of intentions, to provide aid, but doesn’t really achieve anything beyond a big expense. But we wouldn’t really classify it as a form of business, right? Because empathy was that person’s drive. This person wanted to help others.

That said, ‘empathy’ as a drive of human action is, I think, unique of philanthropy. It isn’t really present, for example, in the industry of business. It can be argued that it is the drive of practices like medicine (in it’s original, not-for-the-sake-of-money form) – but wouldn’t that be considered a form of philanthropy?

When it’s at its best, philanthropy is gracious, graceful, and administered with a light touch.

When we think of grace, apart from the religious connotations, we think of support given with seriousness of purpose, but with a light touch. Graciousness supports without judgement, without pity, and without self-satisfaction. Gracious graceful philanthropy is humble, enlightening, and gives equally to the giver and receiver.

Empathetic

* A sentence explaining the word

Great philanthropy is an expression of empathy — of recognizing oneself in another, and responding compassionately to our shared experiences.

* A paragraph elaborating on the word

Empathy requires understanding, or knowing, another’s story. Seeing ourselves in it. When philanthropy follows from empathy — from that emotional point of recognition — we have a better chance of effecting positive change when start to move resources in the name of helping.

Ecosystem philanthropy recognizes a community together with its environment, functioning as a unit.

Philanthropy is powerful when it recognizes that an organization, issue, strategy or constituency of interest exists within an ecosystem—no one entity can or should be isolated or disconnected from the other elements. While donors may not fund the entire ecosystem of a given area of focus, it is essential that they recognize and find some way to value the full complement of forces operating within the ecosystem, so that the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts.

(from Allison Barlow, Funders Committee on Civic Participation board member & Quixote Foundation consultant)

“Tilting” philanthropy is willing to charge into solving problems other funders don’t see, or issues they find too complex and scary to tackle. Philanthropy needs donors willing to be the first into a new field or funding approach as different problems arise in the world. Conventional wisdom suggests looking to peers for collaboration and signs of confidence before you fund. Don’t chuck this advice completely, but remember someone has to be first, and be okay with the gamble of not getting things completely right. Maybe you’re in a position to lead by taking that risk!

(from Don Quixote, Quixote Foundation muse)

Philanthropic Freedom is the excited enthusiasm to give back to the social good that which has been given, earned and/or entrusted.

When the notion of freedom is embraced in philanthropy, the awesome power of choice and responsibility allows giving to flow easily and freely without specific worry to the measurable outcomes. It instead becomes the joy of planting a thousand seeds, knowing that some will take root and flower and some may never show their blossoms but will never-the-less serve to enrich the soil.

(from June Wilson, Quixote Foundation staff & board member)

Intentional philanthropy is more than the act of writing checks—it is the willingness to be strategic, thoughtful, and sometimes patient.

These are trying times and it’s easy(er) to assume that the best way to solve the problems facing our world is to throw grant money at them in hopes of landing on a solution. But solutions to big problems require intentional philanthropy. That means sometimes the best way to proceed is to listen, collaborate and hold onto the knowledge that change doesn’t happen overnight.

(from Aana Lauckhart, Quixote Foundation staff member)

Philanthropic weaving is a practice that forms a connected whole, one that creates webs and networks across issues and types of work, similarities and differences, forming a resilient movement.

Philanthropists enjoy a bird’s eye view and have relationships with a wide variety of leaders, organizations and other philanthropists. Connecting the dots and working toward creating networks among those with common values and (sometimes) shared purpose supports sustainable change.

(from Helen Brunner, Media Democracy Fund & Quixote Foundation consultant)

Philanthropy is aspirational and dreams of doing big things. As we try to connect these higher, lofty goals to the day-to-day work, whether it is with our grantees or donors, we need to do it in a way that is meaningful and practical for them. We can’t ask a two-person shop to deliver a 10 page logic model. At the same time, we shouldn’t encourage philanthropists to tackle issues in ways we understand them to be. Philanthropy is a contact sport. It needs to be lived and practiced – everyday in practical, simple ways.