• “If we desire ‘all that [the] Father hath,’ God asks all that we have. To qualify for such exquisite treasure, in whatever way is ours, we must give the way Christ gave – every drop He had.” (Bruce C. Hafen, Ensign, May 2004, 98)
  • “No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude, and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God…and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.” (Orson F. Whitney, Ensign, Nov. 1987, 60; Faith Precedes the Miracle, 98)
  • We (Americans) also remain extraordinarily generous people. For example, charitable donations in the United States were estimated to be $307.65 billion in 2008, exceeding $300 billion for the second time in history. Almost $107 billion was given to religious organizations, $40.94 billion to educational institutions. And it wasn’t just the rich who gave; 65 percent of all households with incomes less than $100,000 gave to charity as well, with more than 75 percent of the total charitable donations coming from individuals. The evidence clearly demonstrates that Americans are the most generous people on earth, giving more than twice as much to charities as the next most charitable country, Britain. In addition to this charitable giving, more than 61.8 million Americans regularly volunteer their time to serve in charitable communities or religious organizations, providing more than 3 billion man-hours of service annually. The total value of this service is at least the equivalent of an additional $60 billion given to charity.” Seven Miracles That Saved America, Page 290
  • “Andrew Carnegie’s religious faith led him to the conclusion that such wealth should be put to use for the betterment of humanity; he subsequently gave most of his money to public libraries and other charities. He had no illusions about the effect of unearned money on children. In a letter to a friend, Carnegie said: ‘The parent who leaves his son enormous wealth generally deadens the talents and energies of the son and tempts him to lead a less useful and less worthy life than he otherwise would’” Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb, Page 39
  • “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill. Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb, Page 145
  • “It is interesting to note the point at which wealthy Americans become involved in giving. According to J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Americans seem to start giving ‘serious’ chunks of their money away once they are worth around twenty million dollars, whereas in other countries the threshold is around one hundred million dollars.” Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb, Page 148
  • “Earlier we cited a statistic from the Boston College of Social Welfare, which estimated that over the next four decades some forty-one trillion dollars will be transferred from one generation to the next. Paul Schervish, one of the authors of the study, estimates that as much as six trillion dollars of that transfer might be devoted to philanthropic purposes. Schervish also says there has been a fundamental shift in the motivation of forgiving. ‘The rich used to give money only when they were scolded into it,’ he says. ‘Now they are increasingly giving out of a sense of doing something they want to do, that meets the needs of others, that they can do better than commercial interests, government or existing philanthropy. They can express gratitude for their wealth, and their identification with others less fortunate, and that makes them happy.’” Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb, Page 148 -149
  • “The same principle can be applied to children: ‘Don’t overfund children- you’ll ruin them. It will impair their character and destroy their motivation to succeed.’ When children study the plight of people in need, and they understand that they have the wherewithal to do something about it, it is a powerful experience. That is especially true of children who have never experienced scarcity in any respect. With knowledge about the needs of others, children can experience scarcity from the vantage point of the helping hand in the field. As one advisor put it, ‘Instead of merely sailing on a sea of riches, children can experience an ocean of needs.” Beating the Midas Curse, by Perry L. Cochell and Rodney C. Zeeb, Page 150
  • … I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment seat.
  • “It is only when a man supremely gives that he supremely finds.” Joshua Lawrence Chamberlaine, Address to 16th Maine, 1898.
  • “The government will take from the ‘haves’ and give to the ‘have nots.’ Both have lost their freedom. Those who ‘have,’ lost their freedom to give voluntarily of their own free will and in the way they desire. Those who ‘have not lost their freedom because they did not earn what they received. They got ‘something for nothing,’ and they will neither appreciate the gift nor the giver of the gift.” Howard W. Hunter, former President and Prophet of the LDS Church.
  • ”Within the journey of becoming a donor is a philanthropic curve – here is what it looks like:
    • Level One – you become a donor: A complex combination of personal and religious values, family background, business, and social pressures, ego, and heartfelt response to the world around you motivate you to become a donor. Giving becomes part of your way of life, your position in the community, your yearning to be a good person. Over time, giving becomes somewhat automatic, demands on you increase, and you are on many lists. Your gifts, with few exceptions, are distributed in small amounts to an increasing number of organizations. Sound familiar?
    • Level Two – you decide to get organized: The goal is to get control of the giving process, instead of the process controlling you. You review what you have done over the last several years, and think about what gifts have given you the most satisfaction, and what really interests you. You decide to be less reactive to requests, learn how to say no, begin to determine priorities, develop criteria, and make fewer but larger gifts.
    • Level Three – you become a learner: You realize that you don’t really know enough about the issues that interest you. You roll up your sleeves, do some research, visit your community foundation, talk to experts in the field and with other donors, make site visits to relevant organizations, and survey the literature. If you cannot do all this, you hire someone to do it. Out of that process comes a clearer focus, a clearer understanding of the issue, and the organizations you support to reflect that focus. You have now made a distinction between the gifts you must make, and your real philanthropy.
    • Level Four – you become an issue and results-oriented: You want to maximize giving, and increase the chances of making a difference. You are more concerned with results and evaluation. You look harder at the underlying issues, and the ways your available resources can be best applied. You invest in the most talented non-profit entrepreneurs. Gifts to organizations focus on building their capacity. You have become increasingly proactive and rather than simply responding to requests, you go out or have someone go out, search for and fund the best people and organizations.
    • Level Five – your philanthropy is leveraged: You develop and fund custom-designed programs that meet specific programmatic objectives. You collaborate with other donors, you establish networks that cross domains and include public-private partnerships, and collaborations with business. You attempt to create models that can be adapted, and that will attract other private and public resources. You have become increasingly competent about the issues, about what works, and about what can really make a difference.
    • Level Six – alignment: Your values, your passions, and your interests are aligned. Philanthropy is among the most exciting and satisfying things you do.”  Reflections on Two Decades of the Poetry and Practice of Philanthropy by Peter Karoff.Page 7.
  • “We are indebted to our parents for many things but one of the most important examples for us was that no matter how tough times got, my mother believed that we were better off than some and had an obligation to share with those less fortunate.”  Remarks to The 2008 Annual Membership Meeting Society of Financial Service Professionals, Bethesda Country Club.  Bill Walace, CLU®, ChFC® JUNE 13, 2008
  • “We live in a world of both incredible wealth and startling poverty. There are more wealthy Americans than wealthy individuals from any other industrialized country. Thus, the moral, social, and economic responsibility of this country’s private sector to give of its excessive wealth to those in great need continues to intensify. While foundations and corporations get much of the visibility and recognition for their charitable giving benevolence, the vast majority, over 80%, of giving comes from individuals.”  Remarks to The 2008 Annual Membership Meeting Society of Financial Service Professionals, Bethesda Country Club.  Bill Walace, CLU®, ChFC® JUNE 13, 2008
  • “The top three reasons why advisors believe their HNW clients engage in charitable giving are consistent with the top motivations reported by HNW individuals themselves, which are: being passionate about a cause, having a strong desire to give back, and having a positive impact on society and the world. After that, however, reasons provided by HNW individuals and advisors differ significantly:
  • The next three most cited reasons by HNW individuals were: to encourage charitable giving by the next generation (30%), religious or spiritual motivations (23%), and because they believe giving back is an obligation of wealth (22%). Meanwhile, advisors believed their clients’ next most popular motivations would include: reducing their tax burden (46%), religious or spiritual reasons (41%), and creating a family legacy (30%). The study found that, in fact, just 10% of HNW individuals cite reducing taxes among their motivations for giving.
  • Further evidence of a disconnect on the topic of taxes was found when advisors cited a belief that 40% of HNW individuals would reduce their giving if the estate tax were eliminated, and that 78% would do so if income tax deductions for donations were eliminated — whereas just 6% and 45% of HNW individuals, respectively, indicated that they would reduce their charitable giving if these tax policy changes occurred.”
  • THE U.S. TRUST STUDY OF THE PHILANTHROPIC CONVERSATION: Understanding advisor approaches and client expectations  OCTOBER 2013  Conducted in partnership with The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI)
  • “The reasons advisors and HNW individuals cite for why HNW individuals don’t give or hesitate to give to charity differ even more starkly: • Advisors are under the misimpression that the top reasons HNW individuals may shy away from giving are that they won’t have enough money to leave to their heirs (41%), they won’t be left with enough money for themselves (34%), and they don’t consider themselves wealthy enough to give (22%). On the contrary, HNW individuals cite a concern that their gift won’t be used wisely by a nonprofit recipient (30%), their lack of knowledge about or connection to a charity (24%), and fear of increased donation requests from others (17%).”  THE U.S. TRUST STUDY OF THE PHILANTHROPIC CONVERSATION: Understanding advisor approaches and client expectations  OCTOBER 2013  Conducted in partnership with The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI)
  • But what troubles me most is … what I see in the world and what is not going on in philanthropy to address it – how most philanthropic response has an astonishing lack of urgency.” Reflections on Two Decades of the Poetry and Practice of Philanthropy by Peter Karoff.  Page 2.
  • “Participation in the grantmaking process offers families the distinct privilege of learning about needs and issues from those most impassioned and most involved – the community leaders they fund. They build nonprofit skills and experiences they likely would not have otherwise; among them, experience with volunteers, board and staff relationships, financial management, development, and evaluation. And, it has given them the chance to return those gifts to society – as more enlightened, engaged nonprofit volunteers.”  NCFP, “The Value of Family in Philanthropy
  • “It was a surprise to me when I found out that not every family in the country had the same way of looking at the world, which is that if you’ve got stuff, you’re absolutely obliged to give it back, and why wouldn’t you? It wasn’t called philanthropy. It was just what my father, my role model, my uncles and aunts and cousins, who were older than me, were always engaged in. That’s where I first became aware of philanthropy.”  – Richard Rockefeller
  • “Invite your children to participate in your charitable giving by creating an informal “family fund.” Encourage children to nominate their favorite charities or causes and then hold an annual family meeting to discuss their ideas. When the children are younger, it may be helpful to offer specific ideas, such as buying toys for hospitalized children or supporting baby animals at the local zoo. As they mature, you can show children how to research and evaluate their proposed charities for presentation at the family meeting. The Internet is a wonderful tool for preliminary research, although nothing replaces the heartfelt experience of visiting organizations and seeing them in action.”  Remmer, “Raising Children with Philanthropic Values“
  • But what troubles me most is … what I see in the world and what is not going on in philanthropy to address it – how most philanthropic response has an astonishing lack of urgency.” Reflections on Two Decades of the Poetry and Practice of Philanthropy by Peter Karoff.  Page 2.
  • “The Rev. F. Washington Jarvis, headmaster emeritus of the Roxbury Latin School, says that true happiness in life comes from a long-term vision of our life. Jarvis writes in his book, With Love and Prayers,“Important, though, as a vision is [regarding career and lifestyle], it is nothing like as important as an overall vision for your whole life. We might call such a vision existential; it has to do with the discovery by you of some meaning and purpose to your whole existence. Inevitably such a vision must entail not only finding meaning in your life but meaning also in your inevitable death.” He goes on to say, “If you want to be happy, you must learn to love: to pay the price of caring for others, of putting them first, of inconveniencing yourself. That is the pathway to happiness.”” Wealth in Families Third Edition (Charles W. Collier) Page 10
  • “The term care derives, of course, from the Latin Caritas. The philanthropist is first and foremost a caregiver, not a giver of time and money. Time and money are the medium by which care is expressed. But the fundamental moral standard to which philanthropists should dedicate themselves is caring for others in need.” Wealth in Families Third Edition (Charles W. Collier) Page 17
  • “Philanthropy can instill a sense of responsibility around wealth in the next generation of your family. “The more money you have personally,” said Bob Stone, “the more responsibility you have to society. Providing an inheritance to our children also gives them certain responsibilities as well, including using their wealth to have a positive impact on society.” Wealth in Families Third Edition (Charles W. Collier) Page 67
  • Alma 20:24-26…Think of others before yourself, and many will be touched by your example and love.
  • Alma 24: 18…Rather than take away from a brother you should give unto him
  • Mosiah 4:17…The excuse people give to not help out beggars
  • Mosiah 4: 16…Give to the less fortunate
  • Ether 12:33-34…What is Charity?
  • Ether 12:34…Without charity, can’t live with God
  • Ether 12:35…Don’t have charity and talents taken away
  • Moroni 7:44,46…Don’t have charity, you’re nothing
  • 2 Nephi 26:30… Don’t have charity, you’re nothing
  • Moroni 7:45…Charity engulfs all (13 points)
  • Moroni 7:46-47…Charity is the greatest of all–pure love of Christ
  • Moroni 10:20-23…Faith, hope and Charity necessary to enter the kingdom of God
  • “Like a Broken Vessel”, Talk by Jeffrey R. Holland
  • James 2:14 -20…..14  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not worked? can faith save him?  15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?  17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.  20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
  • “The top three reasons why advisors believe their HNW clients engage in charitable giving are consistent with the top motivations reported by HNW individuals themselves, which are: being passionate about a cause, having a strong desire to give back, and having a positive impact on society and the world. After that, however, reasons provided by HNW individuals and advisors differ significantly:
  •  The next three most cited reasons by HNW individuals were: to encourage charitable giving by the next generation (30%), religious or spiritual motivations (23%), and because they believe giving back is an obligation of wealth (22%). Meanwhile, advisors believed their clients’ next most popular motivations would include: reducing their tax burden (46%), religious or spiritual reasons (41%), and creating a family legacy (30%). The study found that, in fact, just 10% of HNW individuals cite reducing taxes among their motivations for giving.
  • Further evidence of a disconnect on the topic of taxes was found when advisors cited a belief that 40% of HNW individuals would reduce their giving if the estate tax were eliminated, and that 78% would do so if income tax deductions for donations were eliminated — whereas just 6% and 45% of HNW individuals, respectively, indicated that they would reduce their charitable giving if these tax policy changes occurred.”
  • THE U.S. TRUST STUDY OF THE PHILANTHROPIC CONVERSATION: Understanding advisor approaches and client expectations  OCTOBER 2013 Conducted in partnership with The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI)
  • 2 Nephi, Chapter 33: 7… I have charity for my people and great faith in Christ that I shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment seat.
  •  D&C 121:45…Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God, and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.