Philanthropy stories

‘We support writers and artists to ensure a rich cultural heritage for future generations’

‘Why I enlisted 12 strangers to give away £100k of my inheritance’

‘I'd be a much richer man but a much less happy man if I wasn't giving’

‘People with money should share it around; I used to be rich’

‘I hope my apology and reparations for my family's slave-owning past will set an example.’

‘Follow your passion. Your philanthropy has got to be relevant to you.’

‘Enjoy it, bring your business brain, but recognise that a growth mindset finds what is needed to strengthen prosperity’

‘Give while you can to experience the joy that it brings’

‘If not me, then who? If not now, then when?’

‘Take advice from professional philanthropy services and take advice from peers who have gone through the same journey’

‘Why Taking a Considered Approach Towards Philanthropy Matters’

‘What drives me is connectivity: does it mean something to me, am I draw into it? And secondly, competence: are they good at what they do?’

‘Philanthropy isn’t something you can just dip your toe into. You need to fully immerse yourself in a cause you are interested in, because it’s the only way to see any meaningful results.’

‘It's a challenge to convince people to spend time and money researching their donations. But I am absolutely convinced that more enlightened donors will seek out and support charities doing the best work’

‘Our role in due diligence is to understand what is happening, get a sense of the people, and if we like it, to fund and stand clear. Our wider offer is there if it is helpful.’

‘Ultimately, if you are able to do good now, just start - don’t put it off. ... I’m helping to build a Living Legacy Fund - it’s fantastic.’

‘Is there a better way of giving to charity?’

‘Firstly, follow your passion. Give money to something you care about. That is how you will stay engaged in the long-term.’

‘Giving lets you embark on a journey of seeing a need, judging whether it is the right need for you to address, and then following the impact of your donation. The feedback loop is rewarding.’

‘See your philanthropic money as risk capital. That’s what it’s there for. For me, if you’re not taking risks with philanthropic funding, then I'm wondering why you’re involved in philanthropy. ’

‘You don’t have to give millions and millions to have impact. Keeping it small can be incredibly rewarding and impactful and permit you to get involved sooner rather than later.’

‘I wish I’d started sooner - a lot sooner. It is probably some of the most impactful and meaningful work that I do.’

‘When you’re a broad funder, as we are, it can be hard for people to see what the common theme might be, but there certainly is one.’

‘Blaming people alone is not going to save any babies; we also need to understand the issue.’

‘My three guiding principles of philanthropy’

‘We believe there’s room for all of us to improve, and we try and empower charities to do that themselves’

‘People know the solutions to their own problems - it’s accessing the solution that’s the problem.’

‘Seven Charities for Christmas Giving’

‘Now is the time to think of how we can help, working together with the skills we have to ensure the most vulnerable are cared for and their futures are not made more uncertain’

‘Philanthropy is about backing moonshot ideas – funding those special projects or programmes that could change lives, or even change the world as we know it.’

‘60% of the artists and organisations we work with, we find ourselves, the other 40% have applied through our open call. People tend to expect an application form but we don’t have that process. ’

‘We had to temper our instinct to run in and commit everything. By taking advice and talking to peers, we were able to consider how we could get the response right for the children and communities that we support’

‘The non profits most likely to survive are those that have a strength in their management and governance, and flexible resources. As funders we can support management and also strengthen their balance sheets.’

‘It has been such a rewarding process of engaging with the individuals we want to support, and we have been in a unique position to be in full listening mode and to be open to them and their inputs.’

‘Let’s do the work. Let’s be the change we want in our world. Each day. Every day.”’

‘Once you get to a certain level of giving there are a limited number of organisations that can manage that level of gift’

‘My goal is to align all grant applications onto one platform where the basics do not have to be repeated for each application’

‘More important than just giving money, I can give time, energy, contacts and original thought – and I am shameless when it comes to picking up the phone and asking others to get involved.’

‘As a small team we have to be agile and we believe this structure has helped us respond effectively’

‘Focus, find accurate information and do a deep dive, so you understand the long term implications.’

‘If you can, you should.’

‘Philanthropy is such an important part of the fabric of our society. The centre wouldn’t exist without philanthropy.’

‘There is far more value and pleasure in gifting to worthwhile causes than simply spending it on yourself. This has always been true, but especially so now.’

‘Organisations are overwhelmed and funders have been overwhelmed and we are all recognising that we need to come together to ensure an effective response’

‘Philanthropy and charity are for the public good. An emergency changes brutally how one defines that. Philanthropists and foundations have to respond.’