From the Inside Flap
A unique guide to finding purpose, meaning, and results in the complex world of charitable giving
In this definitive guide, world-renowned philanthropist Charles Bronfman and lifelong expert and nonprofit leader Jeffrey Solomon show donors and potential donors how to become street-smart, effective philanthropists.
Despite their critical importance to philanthropy, donors have few resources for solid information—deciding what type of gift to give, how to structure it, the tax implications, what level of follow-up and transparency they should expect, among many other complexities. With candid, clear advice, this book fills that vacuum and helps anyone gain a special understanding of philanthropy as a business undertaking as well as a soulful process. It also shows nonprofits how to open a dialogue with the donors they serve to make smart, meaningful choices with their funds to create change.
Comprised of three key sections—The Donor, The Partners, and The Gift—The Art of Giving offers reflective questions, logistical answers, and endless resources to create a business plan for giving that works for you, regardless of income level. By exploring the differences between charity and philanthropy, the complexities of nonprofits, and the tools for making a thoughtful donation—as well as your own passions, concerns, and timeline—you will be better informed, able to confidently articulate your own interests, passions, and giving needs, and know the right questions to ask.
Whether you are a potential donor, active donor, or a nonprofit professional working with donors, The Art of Giving reveals how the act of giving benefits not only the recipient but also oneself.
From the Back Cover
The Art of Giving
Where the Soul Meets a Business Plan
Charles Bronfman & Jeffrey Solomon
Foreword by James Wolfensohn, former president, World Bank
Praise for The Art of Giving
"Anyone interested in philanthropy and not-for-profit must read The Art of Giving. It's a key playbook on how to set your goals and be sure your money is spent wisely on all sides."
—Leonard A. Lauder, chairman, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
"In The Art of Giving, Charles Bronfman and Jeffrey Solomon offer the reader a rare gift: honesty, practicality, experience, savvy, self-awareness. Together, the donor and the professional guide us through the vineyards of philanthropy better than the solo practitioner or the cloistered academic."
—Reynold Levy, president, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
"Drawing with insight, experience, and humor on their separate paths through philanthropy, Charles Bronfman and Jeffrey Solomon have created a crisp, insightful guide for donors pursuing the true test of success: changing the world for the better."
—Diana Aviv, president and CEO, Independent Sector
"The Art of Giving provides a rare glimpse into the minds and experiences of a generous philanthropist and an experienced nonprofit administrator, effectively building upon the importance of self-reflection, intentionality, aspiration, and accountability for philanthropic investments. An important contribution to our growing literature on philanthropy."
—Michael J. Austin, director, Mack Center on Nonprofit Management, and professor, University of California, Berkeley
"The Art of Giving takes the reader on a journey through the wonderful world of philanthropy and pulls no punches in describing the lessons to be learned in combining effective giving with personal satisfaction. It has value for the entire family of the nonprofit world—donors, organizational leaders, foundations—providing easy-to-read material for those new to philanthropy as well as veterans of the field."
—Steve Gunderson, president and CEO, Council on Foundations
"Charles Bronfman has devoted his life to philanthropy, and he writes therefore with comprehensive knowledge, providing us with new and thoughtful ideas for all of us who would like to follow in his footsteps. His book should be read by all those whose lives are touched by philanthropy."
—Jacob Rothschild, honorary president, Institute for Jewish Policy Research
