You are successful and affluent. Perhaps you have become wealthy as an entrepreneur who has formed and grown a successful business. Perhaps you have achieved success as an investor by multiplying the capital you have accumulated from the sale of a business. Perhaps you have recently received a sizable inheritance. Now what?

Presumably the material wealth you now possess will be sufficient to maintain the standard of living you have set for yourself and your family so that you no longer need to “make a living.” So now is the time to ask yourself, What is my passion? For many, it will be golf, sailing, or travel. But for many others, such pursuits by themselves would not be fulfilling. For these persons, a wider cause – whether promoting education, alleviating poverty, promoting peace and understanding among nations, enhancing protection of the environment, or advancing science – beckons. Having spent much of your adult life pursuing financial security, success now accords the freedom to pursue goals that will benefit some segment of humankind. Just as your endeavors in business or investing have been notable, your philanthropic goals will likely target something significant.

This book is written for those families and individuals who are ready to pursue charitable goals seriously, as well as those who are already doing so. Its principles also apply to businesses seeking to set aside some portion of their potential or accumulated profits to devote to such pursuits. They also apply to existing U.S. foundations considering expansion of their scope and perhaps adoption of a hedging strategy in the event trends toward overreaching government regulation continue.