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How I see my career is very much as an entrepreneur in the field of philanthropy.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
As technology changes the way we communicate, connect, create, consume and innovate, it is democratizing access to opportunity. Education is no exception.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen
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Giving is an expression of gratitude for our blessings.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
As philanthropists, the most powerful legacy we can create is one that keeps on giving - through our children.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Nonprofits are the intermediaries between generosity and social change.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
As technology breaks down the physical barriers of college campuses, the extraordinary intellectual capital of the educator community is becoming available to anyone committed to learning - regardless of age, income or location.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
You can express your generosity in ways that are virtually limitless. This was what I wanted to convey in 'Giving 2.0' - that whether you have $10 or $10 million to give, if you identify the right opportunities and make the most of your resources, your impact can be tremendous.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Proactive giving is what you do when you've found your passion. It expresses your values, interests and concerns. It engages not just your dollars, but also your mind, time, skills and networks - the philanthropic equivalent of leaning in, rather than leaning back. Most importantly, proactive giving is something you want to do.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen
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'Giving 2.0' was born of my desire to redefine and democratize philanthropy.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
In my view, a philanthropist is anyone who gives anything - time, money, experience, skills or networks - in any amount, to create a better world. This is not how we once thought about philanthropy. The word used to conjure up something rather passive - sitting down and writing checks.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
The fact that 35 percent of all American giving went to religious organizations in 2010 reflects how closely bound many of us are with our place of worship.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Too often we're happy to receive thanks from the nonprofits we fund, accepting gratitude instead of feedback or performance measurements.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Shouldn't you put the same amount of effort into your giving as you might for your for-profit investments? After all, philanthropy is an investment, and one in which lives - not profits - are at stake.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Actively deciding to give to causes that move you deeply is far more fulfilling than the momentary gratification derived from signing a check and mailing it to a nonprofit about which you know little more than what's on the brochure they sent you.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen
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Of course, giving is deeply emotional. But supplementing emotion with research makes it more likely that a gift can have a bigger impact. It's like any investment. After all, you wouldn't put funds into stocks or bonds without understanding the potential return. Why wouldn't you do the same when investing in society?
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
My giving story started with my parents - my late mother, Frances Arrillaga, who dedicated her life to philanthropic and community service, and my father, John Arrillaga, whose daily generosity of heart, mind, and hands-on contributions make him one of the most extraordinary philanthropists I know.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
My father has been to me a paragon of what actualizing philanthropic potential can be.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Suggest your children try tithing - giving 10 percent of their allowance to a charity every month.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
My father taught me many important giving lessons, but two stand out. First, always give as much as you possibly can. And second, give equally from among your resources - your time, your mind and your capital. These are principles I live by.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Philanthropy is often seen as society's risk capital. That means the onus is on philanthropists, nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs to innovate. But philanthropic innovation is not just about creating something new. It also means applying new thinking to old problems, processes and systems.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen
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By making all my materials freely available through 'Giving 2.0' ProjectU, I am on a mission to extend philanthropy education to colleges globally and far beyond campus walls.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Online, you can become much more than a reactive donor - you can become a proactive, strategic, collaborative philanthropist, improving your giving every day by tapping into the wealth of philanthropic resources available at the tap of a keyboard or the click of a mouse.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Historically, philanthropy has been something that you do when you turn 65, and you are retired, and you have spent your life accumulating your financial resources, and now you finally have time to do it. But because of the Internet revolution, that in turn revolutionized economic growth and wealth generation.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen -
Religion is a complex and often contradictory force in our world. It fosters hope and comfort but also doubt and guilt. It creates both community and exclusion. It brings societies together around shared belief and tears them apart through war. However, what unites the faithful, whatever their religion, is the unshakeable force of generosity.
Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen