When I wanted to set up a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) for the UnTours Foundation, Hal said that was fine, but he didn’t want any funds invested in the stock market. That was like saying, “Of course you may host a dinner party, but no food may be involved.” He stumped me until I remembered the Triskeles Foundation director, Clemens Pietzner. I had heard he was a creative thinker in all things financial – and otherwise.
Clemens did not disappoint. He came up with a theoretical construct, which was all I needed to get started. And indeed, our Charitable Remainder Trust came to fruition and doesn’t invest in the stock market.
Clemens takes a fresh look at philanthropy and investing. He’s been one of Hal’s heros – and of course one of mine having saved my CRT plans. Here’s Clemens directly…
Triskeles Foundation: Increasing Alignment in Philanthropy
Travel planning always requires a degree of thoughtfulness to align our hopes and dreams for the experience. You may begin by asking yourself “where do I (or my significant other) want to go?” Then, you may ask, “what do I want to do…what do I want to learn…what do I want to see…who do I want to meet and interact with?”
UnTours’ transformative approach gives travelers a chance to truly experience a place and its people by altering the traditional definition of tourism. UnTours awakens the common thread that binds us together as global citizens, enabling travelers to align personal goals with an itinerary that diminishes the significance of national boundaries and fulfills a larger social purpose—connecting us to one another in more meaningful ways and bringing a heightened consciousness to travel.
UnTours has changed our approach to travel while Triskeles Foundation has deepened our perceptions of engaged giving. Triskeles Foundation partners with individuals as they infuse direction and alignment into their giving plan, awakening an engaged philanthropic consciousness that increases one’s capacity to contribute and connect. Intentional philanthropic reasoning beckons a comparable thoughtfulness: “what do I want my giving to do…whom do I want to help…what can this process teach me about myself, others and the world…how does my philanthropy align with my investments to validate my values and do they effect positive change in the world?”
Triskeles’ approach to assisting people with their giving unites personal values with the complementary visions of nonprofit organizations to enact positive change and further aligns charitable dollars with a sustainable investment approach through its donor advised funds.
In recent years, donor advised funds (DAFs) have generated a buzz throughout the nonprofit sector. With additional perks, including reduced administrative overhead and increased tax benefits, DAFs function as an appealing alternative to establishing a private foundation.
Triskeles Foundation offers an innovative approach to the stewardship of a donor advised fund: a meaningful philanthropic tool not only in how one chooses to give but also in how these funds continue to grow and are invested, enabling change for generations to come. In the investment sphere, impact and socially responsible investing are not only trending but are changing the way businesses operate and collaborate. A typical DAF grows in value through the way it is invested. Triskeles Foundation unites the power of philanthropy with that of socially responsible impact investing. Triskeles Foundation re-examines our social constructs of money and affirmatively increases its social capacity to bring about a collective benefit, exemplify our values, and grow in a principled harmony—this is what Triskeles defines as alignment.
If you have been contemplating your personal approach to philanthropy and are interested in a donor advised fund, sustainable/impact investing or simply learning more, feel free to email Clemens directly at the Triskeles Foundation or give him a call: 610-321-9876.
“It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.” Henry Ford