FURTHERING THE TRADITION OF PHILANTHROPY
ONE COUPLE'S STORY:
Maximizing Impact by Working Together
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References to individual nonprofit and other organizations herein are not intended to be solicitations, endorsements, or recommendations.
Gift Fund donors Donna Morris and Bill Sweat began supporting charitable causes long before they were married 25 years ago.
Sweat's involvement began after graduating from Bates College, when he served as a VISTA volunteer focusing on housing and landlord-tenant advocacy issues. Morris began donating to her favorite charities soon after graduating from Boston College. To this day, charitable giving continues to be an important part of their lives.
Through the years, Morris and Sweat consistently gave their time and steadily increased their financial support to charities as they advanced professionally. After enjoying successful corporate careers in Boston, Massachusetts, they relocated to Dundee, Oregon, where they purchased a vineyard and now operate a winery. They continue to provide financial assistance to their favorite causes and also serve on the boards of several organizations.
Gift Fund donors Donna Morris and Bill Sweat on their vineyard.
"As we grew in our careers, we realized that a great deal of serendipity was involved in our success that ultimately created opportunities for us," said Sweat. "We want to give other people these types of opportunities as well and believe it is our responsibility to give back."
Morris and Sweat make their giving decisions jointly. When they first began focusing on philanthropy together, they gave to numerous organizations in whose mission they believed and that executed their goals.
Since that time, they have refocused their giving; each year, they decide how much they will give and now support fewer charities with larger donations. In addition to supporting their alma maters, they regularly recommend grants to Habitat for Humanity, AIDS Action Committee, Boys & Girls Clubs, and Pine Street Inn. By providing more significant support to fewer charities, they feel that they can make a greater impact on important issues.
"We try to make sure we are involved with organizations where we can volunteer and not just give money"
– Donna Morris, Gift Fund Donor
Morris and Sweat also believe it is important to give locally. They are strong supporters of Tuality Healthcare Foundation’s ¡Salud! program that provides health coverage to vineyard workers. Every penny of their winery's $10 tasting fee is given to ¡Salud!. Last year, Morris and Sweat were able to share the mission of ¡Salud! with 4,500 visitors coming through their tasting room. They also recommend grants to local branches when supporting large, national organizations.
"We try to make sure we are involved with organizations where we can volunteer and not just give money," said Morris. "We really want to connect with these organizations by giving our time as well."
Although as a couple, they are very much aligned in their approach to philanthropy, sometimes their opinions on nonprofit organizations differ. As a compromise, Morris and Sweat dedicate a portion of their respective Giving Accounts® for what they refer to as "situational giving." While they tend to recommend grants to the same core group of charities year after year, if another charity has a particularly intriguing program, they allow themselves the flexibility to support that organization as well, typically on a smaller scale.
Given their long involvement with charitable organizations, in addition to their winning approach as husband and wife philanthropists, Morris and Sweat have some best practices other donors may want to consider.
Morris and Sweat each have their own Giving Account®, which is invested differently. They believe that maintaining different charitable investment strategies may help them offset market volatility and ensure that they can continue to support charities, even in a difficult market.
They also recommend coming together on a regular basis to reevaluate charitable giving efforts — this helps them remain focused on the causes most important to them. If a new giving opportunity arises that falls outside their agreed charitable giving objectives, they have a discussion about the cause to determine whether it enhances or detracts from their overall charitable giving goals.
The ways in which Morris and Sweat help nonprofit organizations have changed based on various life and career stages. Their volunteerism has evolved into participation on boards and steering committees, and their overall involvement has become more local.
Clearly dedicated to charitable giving, Morris and Sweat intend to continue their efforts and work together to maximize their impact going forward.