SPOTLIGHT ON DAN

What role can philanthropy advice play in developing effective giving?

Philanthropy means so many different things to so many different people, partly because it is so many different things. It is broadly defined as “the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.” However, in my opinion, philanthropy can be so much more than that. Philanthropists go beyond providing money to charitable causes and many also donate their time, their knowledge and their skills.

Therefore, philanthropy advice can help develop effective giving by not only looking at ways of funding social change, but also considering how your skill set and profession can contribute to your chosen cause.

How do you work with associates and partners? 

We have a long history working with legal firms and we understand that the relationships they have with their clients is key. Whilst giving general advice to help clients fulfil their philanthropic aspirations, we also offer a donor advised vehicle to facilitate their giving which is an alternative to registering their own foundation with the Charity Commission.

Many legal firms believe that talking about philanthropy with their clients takes their relationship to the next level and it is a great way to address other aspects of their lives that they may not have necessarily known before; including their passions and interests, getting to know their wider family and thinking about succession planning.

You work with a number of entrepreneurs - how do their giving needs and patterns differ from your other clients?

It has become clear to me that entrepreneurs have a different outlook to the other types of client I work with. An entrepreneur tends to have an element of risk about them and the way in which they approach philanthropy reflects this. Entrepreneurs tend to want to do something a bit different to traditional donations and grants. Social investment is something that I have had many conversations with entrepreneurs about as it is innovative and has more risk attached to it.