The following article is taken from West Central Initiative’s quarterly newsletter Focus on the Region. Thanks to WCI for letting us share this article on the blog!
The next time your family comes together for a day at the lake or a barbecue in the backyard, why not take an hour to discuss your estate and how your family can make an impact on the things that are most meaningful to all of you?
To help you start the discussion, here are some topics and questions to post to your “kitchen table philanthropists”:
1.) First, let your family know that including charitable giving in your estate does not mean leaving out children, grandchildren and other family members. Including charities in your planning can actually enhance what your loved ones will inherit. Because your family is important to you their input into how those charitable dollars are spent and what organizations they will support is also important to you.
2.) Encourage your family to talk about the charitable organizations they currently support. Ask each about the most satisfying charitable gift that they have made. Other questions could include:
- Do you see your family as a family who “gives back”? How do you feel about that?
- Are local issues and organizations more important to your family than national or international organizations?
- Are there projects or organizations you would like the family’s name linked with?
- What would the family like to see accomplished through charitable giving?
Including your loved ones in these discussions can provide multiple benefits. It gives them a role in your decision making. They will understand what you want to do and how you want to do it. It should also ensure that there will be no surprises for the family at the time your estate is settled.
If you’d like to explore opportunities for planned giving, get in touch with the Minnesota Planned Giving Council. Or, if you’re a Minnesota resident living in the west central region, you may call Kim Embretson or Tom McSparron of the West Central Initiative at 800.735.2239.
More about WCI: The West Central Initiative serves to improve west central Minnesota through funding, programs and technical assistance. Their vision is to unite ideas and resources to help people and communities create a better tomorrow. To learn more about WCI, visit their website at wcif.org. WCI is a member of Minnesota Council on Foundations.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Stephanie Duffy, MCF. MCF said: At your next family BBQ, why not talk about giving? – http://bit.ly/aqiS3C Thx to @WCIMinn for the post! #philanthropy #MCFPotluckBlog [...]
[...] West Central Initiative, an MCF member, brings the thought-provoking discussion from the camp fire to the kitchen table in its recent issue of FOCUS on the Region, a quarterly publication. Here’s an excerpt of Sheri Holm’s article: Kitchen table philanthropy involving the whole family [...]