H O W    Y O U    C A N    G E T    I N V O L V E D                                         

The culture of philanthropy is fertile and diverse and there are many ways you can become a partner in change. The Kirlin Foundation aims to help increase the power of individuals to take informed and compassionate action in our community. We want to encourage and support you in identifying and connecting with organizations, projects, and initiatives with which you feel aligned.

Philanthropy offers some of the most satisfying pleasures in life because it calls forth and gives expression to the best in us. Grounded in values, fueled by caring and optimism, extended by generosity, and evaluated on concrete results, it is rewarded by the deep gratification of a job well done. Philanthropic giving increases our freedom to make a difference in our own quality of life, as well as in that of others. Exercising this freedom is highly enjoyable, and often fun. By contrast, casual, impulsive, scattered, incoherent or simply reactive giving is far less effective or satisfying…Giving money away is easy, but investing it for charitable purposes, like other investments, requires more care and skill, and for that reason yields greater rewards. (Whatcom Catalog for Philanthropy).

We can all give more than we do. We believe that if offered the opportunity, and provided with clear strategies for smart giving, many more of us will enter the philanthropic community, or increase our current level of charitable support.

We in Washington rank next to last among the Northwest states in the Ellis L. Phillips “Generosity Index” (www.catalogueforphilanthropy.org) . This index compares each state’s national rank in average gross income with its national rank in average charitable tax deductions. Nationally we rank 31st in “overall generosity.” We were 33rd three years ago.

The Kirlin Foundation is committed to helping improve these statistics. We believe that current and future philanthropists, provided with a set of strategies crafted to meet their personal goals and objectives, will successfully meet this challenge. Most importantly, we will be working together to meet the needs of our community and expressing the definition of philanthropy itself: love of humanity.

On our website, you will find a growing list and description of grantees we have chosen to support. Each organization has been through a rigorous process of research, assessment, and evaluation. In some cases, we have taken an active and ongoing role in their development. Each team is led by a creative and dynamic social entrepreneur. We hope you will feel aligned with one or more of them and give us the opportunity to help you discover ways in which you can partner with the Kirlin Foundation and others in further supporting their efforts.

* This data is based on the most currently available statistics. We will update this information later this Fall when the 1999 statistics are provided.

L E A R N I N G    M O R E    A B O U T    P H I L A N T H R O P Y          

Below are a number of resources that are regularly used by the Kirlin Foundation. Here you will find the latest in research, learning, and best practices, and networking. Each site has a wealth of information and links into cyberspace for your personal growth in philanthropy.

Association for Small Foundations
www.smallfoundations.org

Center for the Study of Philanthropy
www.philanthropy.org

Chronicle of Philanthropy
www.philanthropy.com

Council on Foundations
www.cof.org

Foundation Center
www.foundationcenter.org

Full Circle Fund
www.fullcirclefund.org

National Center for Family Philanthropy
www.ncfp.org

Philanthropy Northwest
www.philanthropynw.org

Roberts Enterprise Development Foundation
www.redf.org

Venture Philanthropy Partners
www.venturephilanthropypartners.org
 

Photo ©Susie Fitzhugh