Ask Bernard "Bernie" Marcus, co-founder of The Home Depot, why he decided to engage in philanthropy and he will say he never decided. "I just did it—you slide into it. I didn’t sit down one night with my wife, Billi, and say, ‘Maybe we'll become philanthropists.'"

Bernie Marcus strongly believes that philanthropists should spend down their foundations and communicate a clear donor intent. He shares the story that helped shape his point-of-view.

Learn more about spending down at The Bridgespan Group.