© Ask the Fundraiser.com 2006
A new generation of givers are not only affluent and passionate about the causes they support, they're also eager to donate their time and skills as well as their money. And nowhere is that hands-on approach to philanthropy more evident, the Boston Business Journal reports, than in Boston, where innovation and entrepreneurial ingenuity thrive.
According to experts in the field, more people at a younger age with more money and energy to invest are looking for meaning in their lives. "People are looking around," says John Simon, co-founder and managing director at Cambridge-based General Catalyst Partners and chairman of the nonprofit GreenLight Fund, which funds nonprofit organizations working to address civic questions. "They are looking to do something with their time and money. The question is, what?" Increasingly, according to Simon, the answer is, doing good.
Their timing couldn't be better. As round after round of corporate mergers and acquisitions undermine the reliability of corporations as a source of philanthropic dollars, wealthy individuals, many from the venture-capital world, are becoming increasingly important to nonprofit organizations as a source of both money and know-how.
But this new breed of philanthropist isn't content to write checks at the end of the year; they tend to be focused in their giving, and they often want a clear picture of how their time, skills, and passion can create the greatest impact. "It's not just writing a check and hoping something good happens," said Paul Grogan, president of the Boston Foundation. It's about asking, "Is there going to be a return on investment, and how will I know?"
Kooker, Naomi. “Charity's New, Focused Breed of Donor.” Boston Business Journal 1/15/06.
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