Post by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

As more foundations and individuals choose to give earlier and in greater amounts in response to today's pressing challenges, a critical question emerges: Can and should funders be doing more? 💭 On March 25, we explored exactly that. Inspired by the reissue of Chuck Feeney's biography — founder of The Atlantic Philanthropies and a pioneer of "giving while living" — our intimate gathering brought together philanthropic leaders to examine how the sector can accelerate impact by challenging the pace and depth of giving. We were grateful to hear from Chris Oechsli (CEO, The Atlantic Philanthropies) and Lori Bezahler (former President, Edward W. Hazen Foundation), who shared the thinking behind why they and their leadership decided to spend down or give faster — and the real implications for family dynamics, legacy, and operations with moderator A. Nicole Campbell (Co-CEO & President, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors). Special thanks to Sam Gill (President & CEO, Doris Duke Foundation) and Walter Sweet (Co-CEO & President, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors) for their opening and closing remarks, and to discussants Lande Ajose (Managing Director, Waverly Street Foundation) and Brenda Coughlin (ED & Board Member, Lannan Foundation) for enriching the dialogue. Additional thanks to Doris Duke Center for hosting this event and to Sarah (Hera) Smith for producing.