August 2009

"One of the chief obstacles which the philanthropist meets
in his efforts to do real and permanent good in this world
is the practice of indiscriminate giving." - Andrew Carnegie

The Olympian Force Behind a Revolution
Eunice Kennedy Shriver leaves a mark

WASHINGTON POST - Eunice Kennedy Shriver, 88, died last TUesday. A member of a political dynasty, Shriver devoted her life to improving the welfare of mentally disabled people and founded the Special Olympics to showcase their abilities. The legacy she leaves, with more than 2.5 million athletes in 180 countries participating in the Special Olympics each year, is one of human dignity and purpose. read more...

Raising Children Who Care
Promoting philanthropic values to children is a hot topic

NEW YORK TIMES - Philanthropic values for children all sounds good. And there's no teachable moment like the present. But how do you get your kids involved so it means something to them, so that it is not just another activity that parents push and children do grudgingly? read more...

Managing in Tough Times
Survey of 100 nonprofit leaders highlights best practices

BRIDGESPAN - Tough times force hard choices. And these are rapidly becoming the toughest times most of us have ever seen, even for nonprofit leaders who are accustomed to 'making much of little. So what to do? Not surprisingly, there are no easy, or even particularly novel, answers to that question. But learning from what others have done before in the face of less severe financial crises can be extremely useful. read more...

Does Micro-Lending Really Help the Poor?
Questions are emerging about micro-lending effectiveness

BBC - Serious questions have begun to emerge about micro-lending and whether people really do benefit. Academics have been trying to work out from the evidence whether microcredit does actually raise people's incomes. And the BBC has been looking at how the microfinance industry provides capital for small and medium-sized enterprises, or SMEs, in Zambia, and to the extent it is effective. listen to experts discuss this issue...

Tomorrow's Philanthropist
A younger, more ambitious philanthropist is emerging

BARCLAY'S WEALTH - In partnership with Ledbury Research, Barclay's Wealth developed a report to build a compelling picture of the current philanthropic landscape and how the wealthy will engage with charities and causes in the future. read more...

Daddy Give Bucks
Lessons learned when Warren Buffet hands you $1 billion

FAST COMPANY - Three years ago, Warren Buffett gave each of his kids $1 billion to give away -- suddenly thrusting them into the philanthropic elite. The gifts were by far the largest the Buffett kids had ever received -- and ever expect to receive -- from their father. He had made clear long ago that nearly all of his fortune would be going to charity. read more...

The Second Half: Leo Abdella
An inspiring story of real adventure and real significance

HALFTIME - Leo’s a real estate developer-turned-ambassador of compassion – bringing thousands of volunteers and millions of dollars in resources to people in despair. If you cut him he bleeds compassion, yet he brings to it the best of business strategy and a ruthless commitment to results. Listening to him gives a deeper understanding of where compassion and drive converge. read more...

Corporate Social Responsibility in a Downturn
CSR initiatives are more necessary than ever

HBS WORKING KNOWLEDGE - Is the economic downturn affecting the willingness of companies to look at the economic, social, and environmental impact of their businesses? Or is this the time to reassess current programs and adapt them to changing needs in society? Harvard Business School professor V. Kasturi Rangan argues that CSR can strategically tackle important societal issues and at the same time enhance business success, yielding a "double bottom line." read more...

Spiritual Thoughts on Material Things
Thirty days of food for thought

There has been a philosophy dating back centuries that teaches that all things material are evil and all things spiritual are good. Often, this is a topic avoided in Christian circle all-together. Jay Link, a wealth advisor, has broken the silence. This book is not intended to only change the way its readers think, but even more importantly, to change the way its readers live -— to give them a new perspective which will lead to a new way of handling the material things in their world. buy at kardiaplanning.com...

Should I Leave A Large Estate To My Children?

While it is up to clients to make the final decisions about their estate plan, how much they will leave to future generations and how much they will give charitably, Ron asserts that it is the advisors role to ask questions that respectfully challenge clients to think about what they hope to achieve with the resources God has entrusted to them. If advisors truly offer counsel from a Kingdom perspective, they have the obligation to ask clients if they have considered the impact their plan with have on their heirs, people they will never meet. How will they handle their wealth? Will it be used to further the Kingdom or be used to the detriment of future generations? Listen to Rons message and gain valuable insight into how to approach this sensitive topic with your clients..

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