Donor Intent
What is Donor Intent and why does it matter?
The idea of donor intent is paramount when thinking about leaving significant resources for others to direct, whether that be family or through a board of directors.
Without a donor prescribing his/her/their values and expectations in a robust and formal manner, what other option do future successor trustees have? In an ideal world, those successors will seek out the speeches or writings, or interview those who knew the donor, to determine what donor intent might have been. For those more nefarious with their intentions, it is an opportunity to bend an intent for personal motives using the resources from someone else.
It is imperative for donors to express THEIR values, hopes and expectations for others to follow when expressing donor intent within the conversation of leaving significant resources for others to manage.
Without an intentionality to describe and memorialize donor intent, someone WILL define your wishes. Spending the time to create a robust donor intent is not only about you, but also about those who follow you. No one is who you are, and they could not experience your life’s wishes. It is only through the process of a robust donor intent process that you can share who you are, and they can value your wishes to ensure it is followed.
The resources you have set aside for future generations must have direction. The philanthropic field is littered with the “good intentions” of allowing others to determine, and define, donor intent – even among those most trusted advisors.
One Question exists because of its pursuit to follow donor intent. Over several decades, we have witnessed the failings of institutions, boards, and staff to truly steward the wishes of donors who sincerely hoped to create change for others in perpetuity.
It is through this hard-learned experience that One Question has set itself against the interests of others and to support the legacy of donors and their intent.
We believe that our knowledge, experience and understanding of donor intent sets us apart from others in our field. For One Question, this is not simply a successful business formula. Rather, it is a call to action for those donors who wish to ensure their wishes are carried out for future generations either through perpetuity or via sunsetting a foundation.