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Sharing The Wealth …Balancing Public and Personal PhilanthropySharing The Wealth …Balancing Public and Personal Philanthropy

Robert F. Sharpe, Jr. discusses how advisors can help clients make gifts to both family and the public.

Robert F. Sharpe, Jr, CEO

August 21, 2019

12 Min Read
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In a recent posting, the Pew Research Center reported that the World Bank estimated that $148 billion was sent by immigrants to family members and others outside the United States in 2017. Known as “remittances,” these funds are sent to family and friends in other countries and might be referred to as “intra-family” philanthropy.1

One might wonder how this type of philanthropy, as broadly defined, compares to the amount donated to public charities by individuals in the United States. According to GIVING USA, individuals contributed some $292 billion to public charities in 2017.2 To put this in perspective, immigrants sent nearly half again that amount back to loved ones in their native countries. 

Other Intra-Family Philanthropy

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About the Author

Robert F. Sharpe, Jr

CEO, Encore

Robert F. Sharpe, Jr. is CEO of Encore in Memphis, Tenn. He is a nationally recognized pioneer, leader and authority in the field of philanthropy. During more than 35 years serving America’s nonprofit community, he has consulted nationally with educational, health, social service, arts and religious organizations and institutions in the planning and implementation of their major, planned gift and endowment development efforts. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and Cornell Law School, he served as a development officer for a liberal arts college prior to practicing law with a major law firm specializing in taxation and estate planning.

Robert is chairman of the philanthropy editorial board of Trusts & Estates magazine and co-author of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) Model Standards of Gift Valuation. He has served on the board of Giving USA and on strategic task forces for the CGP. Among other publications, his remarks have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Newsweek, Forbes, Smart Money, The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Kiplinger’s.

He is a frequent speaker at gatherings across the country including Planned Giving Councils in New York, Washington, Chicago, and Los Angeles, the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners national conference, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) National Conference, and the American Bankers Association Wealth Management and Trust Conference.