Use these 10 questions to guide your thinking about whether a private
foundation is a good choice for you and your family. Contact LKM to assist
you to explore these issues:
1. What are your basic family values? How do you want to express your
values as a family and as individuals? What is the legacy that you want
to leave for your family and community?
2. What is your personal view of the appropriate uses of family resources?
Are your charitable assets working as hard as they could be for both
the family and the causes you support?
3. What is your motivation when making a charitable gift or volunteering?
When do you feel good about giving? Which of your past gifts have given
you the most satisfaction?
4. What do you feel most passionate about? What issues do you feel
are most crucial to the future? Which are your highest priority? If
there were one thing in the world you could change, what would it be?
5. To what extent do you want to be involved in the work of analyzing
problems and shaping solutions?
6. Given your other time commitments and interests, how much time
do you have to devote to philanthropy?
7. What level of recognition and visibility is comfortable for you?
8. How much risk tolerance do you have in your giving? (For example,
would you prefer giving to well-established organizations or helping
to create new organizations or projects?)
9. Do you have a geographic preference: local, national, global, or
some combination?
10. Are you more interested in helping individuals, organizations,
or affecting long-term social change?
