BRIDGE TO LEGACY

Speaking with JH Philanthropy founder and CEO Julie Hoffmann, one thing is clear: Her passion is finding your passion and shaping it into a strategic, impactful philanthropic plan. “I really see myself as a human bridge between philanthropists and the lasting impact they want to achieve in the world,” she observes.

Eschewing polished industry speak or slick marketing messages, Hoffmann gets “real” with clients, asking the unfiltered questions that get to the heart of any person’s raison d’être: “What are the critical social issues that truly resonate with you? What makes your soul come to life?” And “When you lie down at night, what gives you a sense of pride?”

By going deep with clients from the get-go, Hoffmann establishes the level of raw honesty, respect, and acceptance necessary to build trust—and to help each person unearth and claim their unique legacy. “I strive to reflect this level of vulnerability and authenticity in all of my interactions,” says Hoffmann, adding, with a laugh, “Frankly, I don’t know how to show up as anything but myself, quirks and all!”

Understanding the human desire to leave an impact is universal, but the “to whom, with whom, and how” is unique to each philanthropic family and led Hoffmann to found JH Philanthropy (JHP) in 2019.

The recognition of this need came during Hoffmann’s 15-year career leading nonprofits and foundations. “Nearly every family or foundation I encountered in my work faced different challenges and had singular interests. It was very clear to me that a cookie-cutter approach simply would not suffice.”

Today, whether guiding individuals, multi-generational families, private foundations, or corporations in bringing their legacies to life, Hoffmann and her team recognize the individuality of each person they encounter, and the importance of helping everyone feel involved. Hoffmann explains, “Making something everyone can be part of, and understanding what each person and each generation wants to get out of it—no matter their passions or family dynamics—is key.”

“For clients, the path to creating a giving plan usually starts with two ‘w’s and an ‘h’: Why are we doing philanthropy? What kind of impact or engagement do we want to have? And how (with what structure, strategy, and grant administration) are we going to make it happen?”

“Many families don’t think they need much structure or governance, but an effective philanthropy ecosystem is truly a business to be set up and should be treated as such,” explains Hoffmann. “It’s important to have clarity around issues such as how you will make grant decisions, how you will communicate with each other and nonprofits, and how you plan to measure, and scale, results.”

Hoffmann and her team can help clients through these steps. And, once the JHP team and the family have aligned on a plan, JHP can help run it–from the nuts and bolts of grant administration to serving as a liaison for the family with nonprofits, grantees, and the community.

JHP calls itself a “nonprofit-centered philanthropy advisory” because “no matter what approach different clients take with their philanthropy, we always aim to center the perspective of the nonprofit leaders and the constituents they serve, leading to greater impact,” Hoffmann notes.

Therefore, JHP prioritizes clear and respectful communication with nonprofits to achieve more dynamic and authentic partnerships.

Many clients find JHP during transition points in life, such as a liquidity event or a significant wealth transfer. “This could be a married couple who has sold their business and wants to expand their social impact, or a family with four generations and 50 members living across the country struggling to reach consensus.”

In each situation, the goal is to help clients come together to understand the roles philanthropy and wealth play in their lives. “We assist them in dreaming up and building a philanthropic ecosystem that honors their legacy, acknowledges diverse interests of family members, and fosters collaboration across generations,” she explains.

Engaging the next generation in family philanthropy is key for Hoffmann. Take, for example, a family four generations deep with an 80-year-old patriarch, his siblings, their kids, and their kids’ children. As the wealth creator, the patriarch is thinking about his legacy but is also worried about whether his family is aligned with his philanthropic vision. His siblings are perhaps more concerned with setting their children up for success, and the third and fourth generations have completely different priorities and values and may not be excited about giving at all.

Navigating all of this, JHP’s job is to design a philanthropic vehicle that the family could engage with and coalesce around. “Plus,” says Hoffmann, “we understand family dynamics, account for diverse communication styles, and establish practices that lead to civil discourse and mutual learning. All, so we can create an environment that encourages collaboration and social impact.”

Once a giving vehicle has been established, Hoffmann and her team stay in close contact to ensure goals are met, keep tabs on satisfaction levels, and meet regularly with clients and their grantees. Through it all, clients’ philanthropic goals, the nonprofit landscape, and the families continue to evolve.

The JHP team stays abreast of these changes by creating customized objective rubrics to evaluate possible grantees and giving practices that align with each client’s values. “One family may prioritize economic mobility, for example, while another may focus on climate change or democracy,” says Hoffmann. “We treat their passions like our own.”

Looking ahead, Hoffmann says the blessing of a world filled with opportunity and generosity brings with it the challenge of increased demand. JHP just doubled the size of its team, launching operations in Dallas and San Francisco, in addition to its home base in Chicago, but will still have to say no to some potential clients. “We never want to become cookie-cutter advisors,” Hoffmann sums. “We want to continue delivering bespoke, high-impact work for our clients, ensuring that they know they have a trusted advisor by their side through thick and thin.”

Respect for others is rooted in Hoffmann’s life. Experiences as a child volunteering with her sister and mother, helping to build a recovery house for formerly incarcerated women while she was in college, teaching kids to read and write in the Dominican Republic, and serving as a Peace Corps Community Health Volunteer all shaped her perspective. “Those early experiences—especially seeing how my mom engaged with everyone she spoke to as if they were the most interesting person in the world, whatever their background, shaped a lot of who I am and what I do now,” says Hoffmann.

Hoffmann feels incredibly fortunate to be part of this work. “In a single day, we might discuss initiatives like a two-generation scholarship program to increase educational access and economic mobility, or work on making Chicago the first diaper-need-free city. We might meet with our giving circle clients, make connections for a nonprofit leveraging technology to increase access to food pantries, and work with a group of foundations on increasing access to funding for their grantees. And then we will lead a session for young family members on best practices for foundation governance and budgeting. It’s truly a dream to be involved in and facilitate these efforts.”

For more information, visit jhphilanthropy.com.