Business Details
Trusted Philanthropy Advisory Services in Chicago
Strategic Philanthropy partners with high-net-worth individuals, families, and businesses to maximize the impact of their charitable investments. Our team combines decades of experience in philanthropy, finance, and nonprofit strategy to provide tailored guidance on complex giving challenges. We specialize in multigenerational family foundation planning, donor-advised fund management, and legacy philanthropy strategies. Our collaborative approach ensures clients align their charitable goals with measurable outcomes while navigating evolving social landscapes. With headquarters in Chicago, we serve clients nationally through personalized advisory services and strategic partnerships. Our expertise spans estate planning integration, organizational due diligence, and capacity-building for philanthropists at every stage of their giving journey.We maintain strict confidentiality while fostering meaningful family engagement and intergenerational impact. Our track record includes successful engagements with family offices, private foundations, and corporate philanthropy programs. We distinguish ourselves through evidence-based landscape analyses and customized philanthropy roadmaps that adapt to changing community needs. Our commitment to transparency and ethical practices ensures clients achieve both personal fulfillment and systemic change through their charitable investments.
Services
Philanthropy Advisory
Donor-Advised Fund Management
Legacy Planning
Family Foundation Governance
Charitable Due Diligence
Estate Integration
Impact Assessment
Capacity Building
Succession Planning
Community Engagement
Highlights and features
- We specialize in multigenerational family foundation planning
- Our team includes certified philanthropy advisors with 20+ years' experience
- We provide evidence-based landscape analyses for strategic giving
- Our services integrate seamlessly with estate planning professionals
- We maintain strict confidentiality while maximizing philanthropic impact
What people say
Thoughtful process
Valuable resources
Effective approach
Family engagement
Measurable outcomes
Services
Philanthropy Advisory
Our philanthropy advisory service helps donors create strategic giving plans aligned with personal values and measurable impact goals. We analyze clients' charitable priorities, conduct organizational assessments, and develop customized roadmaps for effective philanthropy. Our approach combines financial expertise with nonprofit sector knowledge to maximize giving efficiency.
Donor-Advised Funds
We provide comprehensive donor-advised fund management including strategic allocation, due diligence, and impact reporting. Our services optimize tax benefits while ensuring charitable investments align with evolving philanthropy goals. We help clients navigate complex giving scenarios through personalized DAF strategies.
Legacy Planning
Our legacy planning service integrates charitable goals into estate planning through testamentary foundations and planned giving vehicles. We collaborate with legal professionals to create sustainable philanthropy frameworks that reflect clients' values and ensure long-term impact across generations.
Family Foundation
We specialize in multigenerational family foundation planning including board training, succession strategies, and mission development. Our approach fosters family cohesion through collaborative philanthropy while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and best practices in foundation management.
Impact Assessment
Our impact assessment service evaluates nonprofit organizations' capacity, sustainability, and program effectiveness. We conduct comprehensive due diligence to help donors make informed giving decisions and adjust philanthropy strategies based on evolving social landscapes and organizational performance metrics.
People
Betsy Brill
Principal and Co-Founder
Betsy Brill co-founded Strategic Philanthropy with 25+ years of nonprofit leadership experience. She specializes in family foundation governance and multigenerational philanthropy strategies, helping families create lasting charitable legacies through structured giving programs and board development initiatives.
Susan Winer
Principal and Co-Founder
Susan Winer brings extensive expertise in donor-advised fund management and legacy planning. As co-founder, she focuses on integrating philanthropy with estate planning while developing innovative strategies for sustainable charitable impact across generations through comprehensive wealth transfer frameworks.
Mollie Bunis
Managing Director
Mollie Bunis leads philanthropic services with expertise in organizational capacity building. She specializes in conducting landscape analyses and developing strategic roadmaps that align donors' charitable goals with measurable community impact through evidence-based giving strategies.
John Armstrong
Director of Operations
John Armstrong oversees operational excellence with 15+ years in nonprofit administration. He ensures seamless implementation of philanthropy strategies while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements, focusing on efficient execution of donor-advised fund management and foundation governance solutions.
Kimberly Montroy
Director, Philanthropy Technology
Kimberly Montroy specializes in technology-driven philanthropy solutions. She develops digital tools for impact measurement and streamlines giving processes through innovative platforms that enhance donor engagement and improve charitable investment tracking capabilities.
Questions
What philanthropy services do you offer?
We provide donor-advised fund management, family foundation planning, legacy philanthropy strategies, and charitable due diligence services tailored to high-net-worth individuals and families.
How do you work with financial advisors?
We collaborate with estate planners and financial advisors to integrate philanthropy into comprehensive wealth management strategies while maintaining client confidentiality.
What geographic areas do you serve?
While headquartered in Chicago, we serve philanthropists nationwide through virtual consultations and strategic partnerships across the United States.
How do you ensure philanthropic impact?
We conduct evidence-based landscape analyses and capacity assessments to align charitable investments with measurable outcomes and evolving community needs.
What experience do your advisors have?
Our team includes certified philanthropy advisors with decades of experience in nonprofit strategy, foundation governance, and multigenerational wealth planning.
