Giving Compass' Take:

• Philanthropist Alexandre Mars encourages other donors to think about their giving threshold and supports them by sharing how their money is making an impact. 

• Mars uses technology -- virtual reality films, for example -- to show donors where their money is going. Is this an effective tool for your giving?

• Here are five tips for meaningful philanthropy. 

Turn on the news, and watch the devastation caused by the latest hurricane or wildfire to rip through the United States or tsunami to hit Asia. What’s your response? Do you change the channel? Do you well up with emotion and donate whatever you can to a relief organization? Do you start to envision a way to build sturdier houses or encourage people to move to higher ground?

Your response says a lot about what kind of philanthropist you might be. If you’re in the first group, you’re likely not philanthropically inclined. But the second two define the eternal battle of givers as their wealth and aspiration climb. The people who well up are motivated by the emotion that empathetic people feel when they see others in need.

Those watching the disaster who think of fixing the infrastructure or incentivizing people to make different choices—like not living in a flood- or fire-prone area— show a rational approach to giving. They want to measure the impact of their charitable dollars and, if possible, find a way to replicate what they’ve learned in one area in many communities.

Many of the wealthiest and most sophisticated philanthropists are trying to find a way to combine the two: get something concrete done with their donations without neglecting the emotion that drove them to turn over money to solve a problem in the first place. One such donor, Alexandre Mars, is leading by example—and bringing along other young, techy entrepreneurs who have the wherewithal to be philanthropists.

Mars, who made his wealth founding and selling three companies, says he saw the traditional construct of giving as outdated. In his early 40s, he prefers to ask people what is enough for them. He wants them to keep their giving below their pain threshold, something that runs counter to the give-until-it-hurts ethos of some philanthropists.

Read the full article about philanthropists advice on giving back by Paul Sullivan at Robb Report