Making your philanthropy a family enterprise is an extraordinary opportunity that can benefit your family in many ways and result in creative and significant contributions to society.

The potential benefits of family philanthropy include:
· A deepened connection to each other and a bridge
to the outside world through a sense of shared
enterprise on important social and community
issues.
· A forum for collaboration and problem-solving
within the family.
· A chance to express and test values that the family
as a whole believes in and is willing to stand for.
An opportunity to strengthen and pass on a real
family legacy.
· An intergenerational common ground that
increases communication, sharing and
understanding within and across generations.
· An intellectually and spiritually satisfying journey
of learning about important community and social
issues, and about each other.

If you are thinking of involving others, consider the following: Think about with whom you would enjoy working and who might complement your own skills, perspective and experience.

Consider roles for family members and friends. If you want to share decision-making, you may want to invite them to be trustees of a foundation. If you are just looking for more ideas and perspective, you may ask them to be advisors. If you want to provide an opportunity for others to share in your good fortune (but are not sure you want to work together), you might consider offering to establish a donor-advised fund enabling them to donate to causes they care the most about.

Just as you can reap wonderful rewards when involving children, it can be enormously gratifying to work with other family members and friends.