Giving To Entrepreneurship
What causes come to mind when you think about giving to your community? If you're like most people—regardless of wealth—you think of religious organizations, education, health, human services, arts, and the environment. However, you should also consider helping tomorrow's entrepreneurs. After all, entrepreneurship is the way of life that offered you a chance for success.
Supporting the Quality of Life in Our Communities
Chances are, the field of entrepreneurship isn't on your list of causes to which you devote time and money. Which is surprising, in light of the influence entrepreneurship has in all areas of our lives. A community where education, health, human services, arts, environmental protection and religious participation are thriving is also likely a community that cultivates entrepreneurs and encourages them to be socially responsible. After all, it's the entrepreneurs—personally and through their companies—who support the essentials as well as amenities that provide what we generally refer to as "quality of life" in our communities.
An Emerging Field
So who's giving to entrepreneurship? Who's feeding the engine that drives our quality of life? Thirty years ago, if you wanted to start and run your own business, you were more or less on your own. Few philanthropists were familiar with the idea of giving to entrepreneurship. Even fewer colleges offered courses or programs in entrepreneurship. That began to change in the 1980s, largely in response to the demand of students seeking careers in which they could exercise their creativity while controlling their own destinies. At the same time, entrepreneurs who were accustomed to supporting charitable causes in their communities began to recognize they had something special to give. Having achieved success as entrepreneurs, they could help others do the same. In the vanguard among these entrepreneurs was Ewing Marion Kauffman, who established the first foundation targeting entrepreneurship as one of its primary areas of interest.
Exciting Opportunities
Today, emerging philanthropists are discovering the power they have to improve people's lives by giving to entrepreneurship, from mentoring, teaching, promoting innovation, and serving on boards to contributing financially or through their companies. As one entrepreneur-philanthropist put it, "The joy of giving back is unbelievable. It’s like watching your children grow and be successful."