In philanthropy, donor intent is the purpose, sometimes publicly expressed, for which a philanthropist intends a charitable gift or bequest.
[2][6] Future donors might not be inclined to leave money to charitable causes if they see that trustees, grant recipients, or policymakers do not respect the stated intent.
[1][10] Such arguments date back at least to the 18th century and French economist Jacques Turgot: "No work of man is made for immortality; and since foundations, always multiplied by vanity, would in the long run, if uninterfered with, absorb all funds and private properties, it would be absolutely necessary at last to destroy them.
"[11] While not arguing against donor intent per se, Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) criticized philanthropic funds that are established in perpetuity, arguing that narrowly defined statements of donor intent can be superseded as situations change: " I have heard of a fund which provides a baked potato at each meal for each young woman at Bryn Mawr, and of another, dating from one of the great families, which pays for half a loaf of bread deposited each day at the door of each student in one of the colleges of Oxford....
Waldemar Nielsen has argued that the Carnegie Corporation of New York swiftly lost the "democratic, hopeful, and constructive" spirit of Andrew Carnegie's giving: "That within five years of his death his Corporation should have turned into a racist and reactionary machine to defend the privileges of the old WASP elite and block the advancement of immigrants and the underprivileged deformed his spirit and intent.
"[10] Some donors have attempted to preserve their intent either by "giving while living"[16] or by establishing a date or timeframe in the future by which a foundation must disburse its assets, or "sunset."
Olin believed that capitalism was the basis of prosperity and sought to promote conservative political and legal thinking.
"[2] Carnegie left the Carnegie Corporation's mission vague and open-ended by instructing his successors to "promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding" but also granting "full authority to change policies or causes hitherto aided, from time to time, when this, in their opinion, has become necessary or desirable.
[2] Often, donors select family members, personal business associates, lawyers, or nonprofit leaders to serve on their boards.