With the holidays upon us and the new year just around the corner, it’s the time of year when many of us are focused on giving back and supporting the causes and charities that are important to us. Many of us also feel strongly about instilling our passion for philanthropy in our children and grandchildren. What better time to broach that conversation than during the holidays when multiple generations gather together to celebrate all we have to be grateful for? Of course, with all the hubbub and hecticness of the holiday season, that’s easier said than done. How does one start that conversation and truly engage the next gen on the topic of philanthropy (especially if their faces are buried in a screen!)?
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with my colleague Trey Cranney to learn about his own unique and very personal introduction to philanthropy from a very young age and how it continues to have an outsized impact on his life today. As a Millennial, Trey has a unique perspective of growing up and into adulthood with philanthropy as a core part of his identity and family dynamic.
Trey, please tell us more about when and how you were first exposed to the concept of philanthropy.
For as long as I can remember my parents emphasized financial responsibility and philanthropy as core values. My mother (Mary Kaufman-Cranney) worked as the Chief Development Officer/Vice President for several prominent Seattle-based nonprofits, so the idea of philanthropy and giving back was always a big part of my experience growing up. Both of my parents provided me with opportunities to volunteer and engage with nonprofits that I was passionate about, such as the YMCA, The Nature Conservancy, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and more, which provided such great exposure at a young age and made those organizations’ impact very real. From attending Seattle Opera events and being paired with donors who also brought their kids, to volunteering and participating in diabetes fundraisers and runs, to going on day trips with the Nature Conservancy to help conserve land and animals, having firsthand experiences made the concept of philanthropy very tangible and meaningful.
How exactly did your parents first broach the topic of philanthropy with you? At what age did that start and how did it evolve?
I remember being eight years old and going with my parents to galas and nonprofit fundraising events where I saw the generosity of both small and large donors to various organizations. It left an enduring impact on me to see what those gifts could make possible. Organizations like the YMCA provided a great opportunity for a kid like me to be exposed to philanthropy and directly see the impact that giving could make by not only attending fundraising events, but seeing the facilities built with donations and attending the camps where kids on scholarships had the opportunity to attend.
I also had the opportunity to join the Seattle Foundation’s Youth Grantmaking Board, where I collaborated with other like-minded youth to identify a need we wanted to address in the community, develop RFPs from nonprofits, visit and learn about the nonprofits that qualified, and finally help make the decision on the grants. It was incredibly informative to learn and collaborate with professionals who do this type of work every day to understand what goes into effective grant making and driving change within communities.
Another formative experience was volunteering for The Nature Conservancy’s Future Major Donors task force, where I worked alongside board members and donors to develop ways to engage the next generation of donors.
Those are just a few experiences that fostered a lasting commitment to engaging with my community around causes I care about. It was foundational in developing my deep appreciation for giving that continues to this day.
How else did your parents engage you with philanthropy beyond attending events and volunteering?
Growing up, we would have annual discussions about how and where I would give an allocated amount of money to a charity though a “philanthropy allowance,” which was a great launching point for not only giving away money, but fostering an interest in being involved in my community and tracking the impact of our support over time.
My family has also established an endowment through my mother’s alma mater, Washington State University (WSU,) in honor of my late grandmother that will provide scholarships in perpetuity to students in the education and arts departments at WSU. This has created a close family tie to a philanthropic cause and is something my family and I plan to continue to support.
Not every generation within a family wants to support the same causes or charities. How has your family broached the topic of aligning around shared values and the causes that you want to support together as a family, as well as differing causes that individuals may want to support on their own?
My family primarily navigated this dynamic through fostering individual interests and encouraging philanthropy generally, with there being no “wrong” organization or cause to fund or support. As our interests and financial situations matured, there was greater alignment around doing larger and coordinated philanthropy, with the endowment fund in honor of my grandmother being a good example. My parents and extended family have also encouraged the younger generations of my family to give philanthropically by incentivizing us with a match – however large or small it may be (e.g. the kids give $100 to an organization, and the parents also give $100). Even at relatively small amounts, that can be a powerful motivator.
This idea of gift matching extends beyond family. One of the many things I appreciate about LNW is the commitment to supporting philanthropy. Among the ways the organization does this is through a match of employee philanthropic gifting. For adult children, encouraging them to inquire with an employer is another way to amplify their generosity.
Finally, what is your advice to other parents / grandparents who want to engage the next generation of their families in philanthropy? How can they get started?
Don’t wait. Just start talking about what the family has done (leading by example) or wants to do in terms of giving back. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just genuine and heartfelt. Involve the next generation by encouraging them to express their opinions and think about what cause they want to support and why. Giving them that sense of “ownership” can be very motivating.
A great place to start this discussion is around the holidays when kids are excited about gifts and presents. Stress that not all kids have the same good fortune, while making it clear that they have the opportunity to help, such as by supporting organization that do variations of “Giving Trees.” Whether it is food, clothes, or toys, encouraging the next generation to be philanthropic can be a great launching point for a life-long commitment to philanthropy.
Finding opportunities to volunteer as a family can also create a powerful tangible, emotional connection with an organization by engaging in the hands-on work they do. For me, those types of experiences inspired me to ask questions about how those organizations could do more good work with more funding, which birthed the desire to start giving monetarily in addition to my time. I carry that passion with me to this day.
Lastly, I want to emphasize that talking about philanthropy with the younger generations of a family doesn’t need to be reserved for the holidays. It can be an ongoing conversation that is expressed through both words and actions throughout the year. When done well, it becomes a core pillar of who you are as a family, inseparable from what makes you “you.” That’s what it has become for me, and I could not be more grateful.
