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Seven Steps to Involving the Next Generation in Philanthropy

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As a parent, it can be challenging to find meaningful ways to integrate your children into your philanthropic efforts. Factors such as age, interests, and financial status all play into how you handle introducing your children to your family’s philanthropic goals. At Whittier Trust, we channel our years of experience into tailored solutions that help mitigate uncertainty as we address the needs that are most important to you. Over the years our Philanthropic Services team has worked with adolescents, and adult children to make sure this transitional phase is both educational and impactful.

When meeting with the next generation, it is important to set up one on one time with your children to see where their interests, and passions lie in the philanthropic sphere. After honest and comprehensive conversations, we can begin to align their interests with the causes they feel are most significant. From there, we are able to provide recommendations that best align with that vision. To begin coordinating interactions between your child and nonprofit organizations, it is crucial to set up an associate board. Oftentimes, we also find it beneficial to pair a young philanthropist with an advisor of a similar age so that they can get expertise with someone who is familiar with the social and digital platforms they are accustomed to using.

This process is deeply rewarding and can result in many long-term benefits. Through it, we educate the next generation on the charitable tools and topics that will be most useful to help them achieve their goals. Tools like grant-making become increasingly valuable during this phase, as it allows for the child to involve other members of the family and deepen the family bond around their cause. When all is said and done, our aim is to help create an individual who has the confidence, knowledge, and support to perpetuate their family’s legacy in their philanthropic endeavors. If you are unsure about where to begin this process with your child, please reach out and allow us to guide you through this exciting process.

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