MAKE AN IMPACT
Partners in Giving
Partners in Giving helps families and individuals make a meaningful impact with their philanthropy by showing them how to translate their interests and values into a vision for giving back that feels fulfilling. Together, we will navigate the complex personal, financial, and social issues surrounding giving, and create a plan for philanthropy that’s achievable, leads to positive change, and is right for you.
“One of the best parts of being human is that we have evolved to find joy in helping others.”
Elizabeth Dunn, PhD, Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia
Source: TED Talk
Do any of these statements resonate with you?
Legacy and Family Values:
“I want to pass on my tradition of giving to the next generation and teach my children about effective philanthropy.”
Inherited Assets, Uncharted Territory:
“I have inherited assets earmarked for philanthropy, but don’t know where to begin.”
Family Dynamics:
“My family needs help communicating and making decisions about our joint donations.”
Transformative Moments:
“I need to adjust my giving strategy because of a big life event like a birth, death, marriage, or new job.”
Abundant Passion, Limited Time:
“Philanthropy is important, but I don’t have the capacity to manage it directly.”
Navigating Complexity:
“I’m frustrated by the many solicitations I receive, and need help managing and optimizing contributions.”
Your values are valuable.
Align your giving with who you are, not just what they ask for.
Every philanthropist's journey is unique, shaped by individual values, goals, and resources. Partners in Giving can transform your vision into an actionable strategy that will make an impact on the causes important to you.
Services
Find the joy in generosity
These are some of the ways Partners in Giving will help:
Partnership and Support
Serve as your dedicated partner, alleviating the burden of managing the implementation of your philanthropy plan all on your own.
Philanthropy Planning
Collaborate to create a comprehensive plan for your giving, aligning your philanthropy with your values, goals, interests and availability.
Mediation and Communication
Facilitate communication and negotiation with family members, ensuring alignment in your plans.
Strategy
Develop actionable and customized strategies, empowering you to manage your philanthropy effectively, independently or with partners.
Consultation and Guidance
Answer questions and address concerns related to your philanthropy, with expert insights to enhance your giving. Whether you have a quick question or need deep research, give us a call.
Representation
Act as your liaison with nonprofits, allowing you to be less involved while ensuring your interests are effectively represented to stakeholders.
Customized Solutions
If you don’t see what you’re looking for here, but feel like Partners in Giving could be a fit, please contact us. We’re excited to hear about what you have in mind.
How
How does it work?
After an initial free consultation, Partners in Giving will create a personalized proposal that outlines next steps to meet your needs and support your goals for giving.
Client engagements usually fall into one of the tiers below:
Strategic Giving Design
Values assessment and philanthropic goal-setting
Organization research, vetting, and due diligence (3-5 organizations)
Giving strategy with multi-year roadmap
Giving vehicle recommendations (DAF vs. direct vs. foundation, for example)
Implementation support and initial introductions
Best for: Individuals/couples transitioning from reactive to strategic giving, first-time major donors or clients with recent liquidity events
Comprehensive Philanthropy Planning
Everything in Strategic Giving Design
Facilitated conversations with adult children/heirs
Giving vehicle structuring and setup guidance
Optimization strategy, coordinated with financial advisor, lawyer, and/or CPA
Grant-making framework and decision criteria
12-month implementation support with quarterly check-ins
Best for: Multi-generational families, business owners planning significant giving, clients establishing family giving traditions
Family Foundation & Legacy Advisory
Ongoing strategic counsel (quarterly meetings minimum)
Annual grant-making strategy and due diligence
Board meeting facilitation
Impact measurement and reporting systems
Organization relationship management
Next-generation engagement and education
Crisis-management and opportunity response (major gifts, name opportunities, etc.)
Best for: Established family foundations or existing philanthropy programs, clients with $500k+ annual giving, complex multi-generational legacy planning
About
Why Partners in Philanthropy?
Melissa is an accomplished strategist and advisor with a wealth of experience advancing mission-critical initiatives for both philanthropists and nonprofit organizations. She served as a major gift fundraiser at Yale University for more than a decade, helping families and individuals make meaningful connections to giving priorities that resonated with their values and interests, while addressing important institutional needs. After relocating to the Washington, DC area, Melissa led advancement for the Smithsonian Archives of American Art. There, she re-energized the board of trustees to support the organization’s most successful single fundraiser in the organization’s history. She also mentored a new generation of philanthropic leaders and strengthened relationships with loyal but distant donors.
Melissa founded Partners in Giving to amplify the impact of donors’ personal and financial resources to drive meaningful change. By showing clients how to give strategically to areas of need that are aligned with their unique values and aspirations, they can provide more support and find joy in generosity. When giving is a positive experience, donors are motivated to provide greater support each year and begin to chip away at our greatest challenges. Whether helping one person attend college with a scholarship, or contributing to research for a cure for cancer, targeted philanthropy can do more to solve problems, and donors feel like they are gaining, rather than losing in the process.
Melissa helps individuals and families craft sound giving strategies and supports their relationships with organizations to strengthen their leadership in the nonprofit space. She offers personalized attention to every client, tailoring her services to serve their individual resources, needs, and interests. Her expertise and commitment ensure that each client finds purpose in their philanthropic journey.
“Over many years, Melissa was an active partner with me in navigating the Yale University administration, faculty, and students. With her help, my family and I were able to create and fund valuable experiences in developing countries for undergraduate students. These were innovative programs that did not have precedents, and she demonstrated resourcefulness repeatedly in helping our family achieve our philanthropic goals at Yale. Melissa’s personal initiative and skillful interaction with many parts of the University were invaluable in the success of the Barry Family programs.”
Contact
You can make a difference.
We can show you how.
For more information, or to schedule a phone call, video conference, or in-person meeting, please fill out this form or send an email to:
Melissa@PartnersInGiving.co