Strategic Time Horizons in Philanthropy

Strategic time horizons are increasingly becoming the subject of thoughtful discussions within philanthropic organizations, causing a shift away from in-perpetuity models as the default approach. Driven by it's mission to help donors around the world create thoughtful and effective philanthropy, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors is exploring how these decisions are being made, and how they impact the overall approach and operations of donors and their institutions.

RPA’s latest research is captured in two reports that examine the inner workings, trends, practices, and challenges of family and institutional philanthropy on a global scale through a time horizon lens. This is the only global research about philanthropy that includes views not only on reasons for giving, but on causes, giving geographies, time horizons, decision-making and next-generation involvement.

The research reveals interesting trends and findings on:

The growth of time-limited philanthropy over the last two decades.
How families in the United States, Europe and Asia involve the next generation in their philanthropy.
Top reasons for giving, and how those reasons are impacted by time horizons.
Vehicles for giving, by region and by donor type.
Perceptions of effectiveness of different strategic time horizons.