Tell Us: Should Jeff Bezos Focus His Philanthropy on the Short or Long Term?

Jeff Bezos speaks at Smithsonian Magazine's American Ingenuity Awards in December. The Amazon billionaire is seeking to tap the public’s ingenuity in determining his way forward philanthropically. Jeff Bezos speaks at Smithsonian Magazine's American Ingenuity Awards in December. The Amazon billionaire is seeking to tap the public’s ingenuity in determining his way forward philanthropically.

June 16, 2017 | Read Time: 1 minute

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who is among the world’s wealthiest individuals, turned to Twitter on Thursday to ask for ideas about how to best focus his philanthropy.

In the message he set his choice up as a decision, in part, between long-term contributions to society and his attraction to making change “in the here and now … at the intersection of urgent need and lasting impact.”

It’s a choice that all nonprofits and philanthropists face: Do we help with basic needs or seek solutions for the long run? Sometimes, you can do both — but if you had to you tell Mr. Bezos to pick one, which would it be?

Fill out the form below to share your opinion and explanation, and we might include it in a roundup of responses.

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