What is IdeaMail?

It’s a free newsletter filled with ideas, strategies, and resources of interest to people who work in the field of philanthropy. At Putnam Community Investment Consulting (PCIC), we believe it’s important for colleagues to share useful information and resources. We’re all trying to make the world a better place, and by sharing information with foundations, nonprofits, and one another, we can succeed.

We Hope You'll Be Back!

To those of you who are reading this IdeaMail because you received a previous issue and signed up for future issues, we want to say “thanks” for being part of our online community.

If this is your first IdeaMail, we welcome you – and we encourage you to share this great resource with your colleagues. Like this one, future editions will be brief, concise, and packed with useful ideas. Upcoming topics will include tips for developing effective grant making programs and much more.

About Putnam Community Investment Consulting
A trusted partner for philanthropic organizations

Putnam Community Investment Consulting (PCIC) is a leading philanthropy and nonprofit consulting firm. We work in partnership with philanthropic foundations and nonprofit organizations to assess community needs, develop effective programs, align organizational strategies, and evaluate impact. Read more about us.

Forward IdeaMail to a friend and share the knowledge!

Contact info

Kris Putnam, MSW
Putnam Community
Investment Consulting, Inc.
Midwest Office
(Cleveland area)
30628 Detroit Road, No. 222
Westlake, OH 44145

West Coast Office
(San Francisco area)
One Embarcadero Center, Ste 500
San Francisco, CA 94111

Toll-Free Tel/Fax: 800.598.2102
kputnam@putnamcic.com

Copyright © 2008 by Kristen Putnam-Walkerly. All rights reserved.

Permission is granted to publish this article electronically in free-only publications, like a website or ezine (print requires individual permission) as long as the copyright information and credit is included without any modifications. All links must be active.

Issue 8 • May 2008

Youth Philanthropy: Cultivating a New Crop of Young Philanthropists

Dear Philanthropy Professional,

Spring is in the air and it’s the perfect time of year to plant fresh ideas that will bear fruit in the months and years to come. Here at Putnam Community Investment Consulting, we’re welcoming this new season by re-introducing IdeaMail, our free newsletter to share ideas with clients and colleagues. Whether you’re a longtime friend or new to our online community, we trust you’ll find lots of food for thought here.

With this issue of IdeaMail, we explore the many ways to engage young people in philanthropy. By cultivating an early interest in “giving back”, you have the power to inspire the next generation to become active, informed and generous members of society. The bottom line? It’s never too early to start – and never too late to make a real impact on how young people view the world!

With Warmest Wishes,

Kris Putnam-Walkerly, MSW
President
Putnam Community Investment Consulting Inc.

Intergenerational Pollination: The Coming Transfer of Family Wealth

A recent study by Boston College projects an intergenerational transfer of wealth of up to $41 trillion between 1998 and 2052. While there are some indications that this transfer of wealth is not materializing as expected, one fact is certain: Over the next four decades, a new generation will assume leadership roles in their families’ foundations and begin administering donor-advised funds.

Plant the Seeds of Charity Early, Then Watch Them Grow

The lessons we learn as children often stay with us throughout our lifetimes. According to the National Center for Family Philanthropy’s publication Successful Succession: Inspiring and Preparing New Generations of Charitable Leaders, “Very few people wish they had waited a little longer to introduce their children, nieces and nephews, siblings, cousins, and other family members to the family’s philanthropy…the sooner you start involving your children, the more likely you are to make the family’s philanthropy an activity that the child and family grow with and work together on.”

Eight Great Ways to Get Young People Involved

When you want to engage a young person in philanthropy, it’s wise to match activities with the child’s individual interests. Here are a few ways to capture the interest of ‘tweens and teens:

1. Put kids on the receiving end with a regular allowance, then divide it into three categories: Spend, save and share.

2. Accompany a child on a site visit to a local agency or nonprofit so they can learn first-hand about the people who create solutions and the issues they face.

3. If you have a family foundation, let your child review proposals, final reports and thank you letters from grantees.

4. Have regular family meetings to discuss which issues and organizations are most worthy of philanthropic support.

5. Encourage young people to volunteer their time with local agencies and organizations.

6. Invite children to serve as junior board members, or let them take minutes at regular board meetings.

7. Donate a set amount each year to an organization of your child’s choice.

8. Enlist your child’s technology skills in developing a website or PowerPoint presentation for your family foundation – or let them write a blog or create a Facebook page.

Five Tough Questions: Explore the Answers Together

Remember that young people whose families have foundations face unique challenges. Many feel guilty about their wealth, and hesitate to turn to their peers for support. You can help by talking together to answer questions like these:

1. How do I infuse my personal values into my family’s philanthropy?

2. How can I bring new topics to the table and have a voice?

3. Where do I start looking at issues like family history, legacy and mission?

4. Who am I to make funding decisions when I lack “real-world” experience?

5. How can I make a lasting impact through my family’s philanthropy?

Join the Club: Young People Need to Belong to a Bigger Cause

With the emergence of family foundations, a whole new landscape of support resources has sprung up to help young people to align personal values and family wealth with social change. Online communities like Resource Generation, Grand Street, the Society of Young Philanthropists, and YES! provide support and information through various workshops, listserves, conferences, and social events. Young people can also take part in annual convenings such as Making Money Make Change and Leveraging Privilege for Social Change Jam. The Council on Foundation’s Leadership Summit also hosts a Next Generation Retreat. Young people may also enjoy the book Creating Change Through Family Philanthropy: The Next Generation by Alison Goldberg, Karen Pittelman, and Resource Generation.

Youth Philanthropy Programs: Spread the News, Share the Wealth

In the last 20 years, an estimated 500 “youth philanthropy” programs have emerged across the United States. In 2000, these youth-led groups awarded grants totaling between $5 and $10 million. The best known of these is the Michigan Community Foundation’s Youth Project, which has engaged 8,800 youth in awarding over $12.5 million in grants since 1990.  Other programs include the Mott Youth Fund Distribution Committee of the United Way of Greater Cleveland; Kauffman Foundation Youth Advisory Board in Kansas City, Missouri; and Youth Initiated Projects in San Francisco, California.

Evaluation of youth philanthropy programs, as described in Changing the Face of Giving and Best Practices in Youth Philanthropy has found that they:

• Encourage young people to improve their skills, knowledge and confidence;
• Help participants to understand community and youth issues, share opinions more openly, and become better at planning and facilitating meetings;
• Promote greater interest in attending college;
• Enable young people to view themselves as leaders who can make a difference in their communities;
• Allow participants to develop language, budgeting, critical thinking, and public speaking skills.
• Promote positive youth development

Perhaps most revealing is that young people continue to volunteer and donate money to charitable causes at higher rates than the general population long after they stopped participating in these programs.

Digging Deeper: More Resources on Youth Philanthropy

Learning To Give provides field-tested K-12 curriculum about youth philanthropy. Additionally, the Youth Leadership Institute and Youth Philanthropy and Service at the Mandel Center at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio helps organizations establish youth philanthropy programs. To find a youth philanthropy program near you, search the Youth Grantmaker Database.