We recommend setting measurable goals for charitable gifts before they are given. Especially for larger gifts, board members of effective charities will be more than willing to set out a specific plan for putting your donation to work. Take the initiative to stay in touch with the organizations you support, just as you monitor your financial investments. Philanthropic returns are harder to gauge than stock market returns, but they are usually measurable and should be an extension of how you focused your giving in line with Principle Four . Over time, you should expect your charitable portfolio to change.
Charitable organizations evolve through cycles of growth, maturity and, sometimes, decline.
New opportunities for giving may arise that will be a better fit for your particular mission, and you should never feel obligated to support charities in the future just because you have in the past. Remember that charitable giving is, in and of itself, not your mission. Outcomes are what you are aiming for as a strategic giver - a new modern art museum in your community, for example, or fewer people with AIDS suffering alone. Whatever your mission, set your focus on quantifiable goals, frequently measure your performance as a philanthropist, and adjust your giving if you need to do so.