Giving Compass' Take:

• In this Robb Report article, Morgan Stanley’s head of philanthropy management shares tips on how to give better.

• Those serious about strategic philanthropy should dig into each of these impact-driven steps, especially the art of collaboration, which requires patience and persistence.

• When it comes to giving in the new year, here's a novel approach to sharing power.


Since it’s the season for giving — and planning how to make the world a better place [in 2019] — I thought it would be an excellent time to talk with Melanie Schnoll Begun about the best ways to go the distance with a philanthropic plan. Schnoll Begun is a managing director and the head of philanthropy management at Morgan Stanley in New York, where she helps private wealth clients create their giving strategies, matches them with compatible nonprofits, and is an active healthcare philanthropist herself — not originally by choice.

“My life was forever changed when I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes,” says Schnoll Begun. She was in her early 20s when that happened. Type 1 used to be known as juvenile diabetes but can occur at any age. While it is treatable, she has been involved in raising funds aimed at finding a cure. She was president of the board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) from 2011 to 2015 and in November she ran for the 29th time in the JDRF marathon, which raises money and awareness ...

Now she specializes in guiding clients through what often amounts to a process of self-discovery, helping them hit upon what causes are most meaningful to them, then how to channel their philanthropic dollars for a maximum payoff.

  1. Collaborate.
  2. Invest with your mission in mind.
  3. Be a “brand ambassador.”

Read the full article about easy and smart ways to give by Jan Alexander at robbreport.com.