December 2007

To all our clients, friends and partners, Excellence in Giving
wishes a joy-filled Christmas and blessed New Year!

An Unexpected Thanks-Giving
Bob Buford on underused, valued assets

ACTIVEenergy - On a recent trip to an art market, Bob Buford reflects on what a new season of life would look like for he and Linda with less accumulation and a redirection of energy towards other uses. read more...

Everybody Wants to Save the World
When starting charities overseas, good intentions go awry

INC. MAGAZINE - Many entrepreneurs reach a point when, having tackled business problems, they are tempted to take on the world's ills. Some launch philanthropies. They assume that the skills responsible for their for-profit successes will translate easily into the nonprofit realm. But philanthropy presents a unique set of challenges, particularly in the poor countries that need it most. read more...

Giving Makes You Rich
New proof that it pays to be charitable

PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE - Giving makes you rich. A lovely sentiment, to be sure, but quite backward-sounding to an economist. However, emerging evidence supports the contention that giving stimulates prosperity, for both individuals and nations. Charity, it appears, can really make you rich. read more...

Unexpected Global Lessons in Mission Trips
How short-term mission is becoming a two-way street

CHRISTIANITY TODAY - Some churches are learning and unlearning as they rethink the value and meaning of a missions trip. In fact, many churches are pioneering a very different approach to missions based on long-term partnerships rather than uni-directional experiences. read more...

Goldman Sachs Builds Philanthropy Superfund
Non-profits must shift mindset from "us and them" to "we"

NEW YORK TIMES - On the back of record profit so far this year, Goldman Sachs, the global investment bank, is starting a philanthropy fund that aims to reach $1 billion. The fund, GS Gives, is initially focused on the firm’s roughly 350 partners who will be strongly encouraged to donate a fixed amount of their compensation. read more...

Micro-Franchise Against Malaria
How for-profit clinics are healing the poor in Kenya

SOCIAL INNOVATION REVIEW - The "micro" movement is much more than micro-finance. The HealthStore Foundation has innovated a unique micro-franchising model to deliver good healthcare through rural Kenya while aggressively expanding. read more...

Hedge Fund Executive Urges Generosity
A public campaign approach to encouraging charity

BOSTON GLOBE - A Connecticut hedge fund executive is launching a public campaign to urge Americans to give to charity instead of feeding into the traditional Christmas shopping frenzy. Ray Dalio is spending $2 million to run full-page advertisements in six major newspapers suggesting that shopping would be more meaningful if people made charitable contributions. read more...

How the Rich Diverge in Philanthropy
New study sheds light on the motivations for generosity

WASHINGTON POST- Amid what some call the golden age of philanthropy, a study to be released reveals specific behavioral patterns and motivations among the nation's wealthiest donors. The study's authors randomly surveyed 1,400 of the country's most affluent households and discovered distinct philanthropic characteristics among donors grouped into 12 profiles. read more...

Beyond Success: Building a Personal, Financial, and Philanthropic Legacy
by Randy Ottinger

You've worked hard to achieve financial success, and now you want to leave a legacy... and you want your contributions to matter. Beyond Success is the first thorough guide that assists individuals with the achievement of a meaningful and lasting financial, philanthropic, and generational family legacy. Randall Ottinger draws on insights from hundreds of legacy leaders such as Bill Gates Sr., Jeff Brotman of Costco, and Sandy Weill of Citigroup, as well as thought leaders and advisors in the philanthropy and family wealth professions. He develops a legacy planning framework to help translate your goals into measurable action steps for achieving the highest levels of personal fulfillment and social impact. buy at Amazon.com...

Learn more from Randy Ottinger at his blog, Beyond Success Legacy Excellence.