Opinion: Quality Rather Than Cash Is Key to Mega-Philanthropy

How the new generation of super-rich donors spend their philanthropic cash is more important than how much of it they spend, two philanthropy leaders assert in a San Jose Mercury News column.

“For the Giving Pledge to really matter, what we need is not just more philanthropy,” write Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, and Stephen Heintz, president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, in an article offering advice to the Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and other new signers of the pledge to donate at least half of their wealth.

Donors must stay focused on key philanthropic goals, solicit critical feedback about their charity choices, and not “fall for ‘business thinking’ as a magic bullet” for effective giving, Mr. Buchanan and Mr. Heintz write.