Transparency in Philanthropy

Transparency is one of the most common words in modern culture. It does not escape attention how the concept of transparency in philanthropy and other areas has become transactional.

Sometimes people find themselves monitoring the information that they share with others. They also keep tabs on how much information others share with them and the extent of disclosure.

The surveillance of shared information makes sense as it shows the way people protect themselves—many link transparency with disclosures as a part of an exchange to build understanding and eventually create trust.

A significant question is what will happen when people separate the standards? Is there a way to redeploy transparency to help in building better relationships? People think that there is.

Power of Transparency

Transparency is a significant force when put into use appropriately. The trick lies in deciding what is appropriate among various contacts and interactions. It starts with cultivating transparency through a lens of balance and sharing knowledge. This time is ripe to concentrate on harnessing transparency for mutual benefit.

Trust is the primary beneficiary of transparency because it is the foundation of relationships. Transparency builds trust over time because it is the way people reveal themselves and their intentions. They expose specific facts and signal their willingness to be evaluated. They listen, and other people listen to them too.

Transparency in philanthropy is two-way, but everyone does not travel at equal speed. Family foundations can model transparent behavior by delivering honesty, clarity, and openness. These are the virtues that stakeholders expect. Family foundations, in return, get more profound, long-lasting, and more productive relationships.

Transparency Demonstration

Acknowledging mistakes or taking a principled stand is a powerful demonstration of transparency. It takes courage to open up. Sincerity is a way to pave the way for new deeper relationships. It also opens up the benefits of relationships, including:

• Advocacy
• Networking
• Inventing
• Collaborating
• Advocacy
• Co-funding

Transparency is good, but research and experience show that it is not a universal solution for everyone. Excessive or imposed transparency has consequences that include:

Inability to maintain appropriate confidentiality

• Stymied innovation
• Lost efficiencies

Many people familiar with business expediency attest that opaque practices that impede short-term transparency are a part of the competitive market. Family foundations should also be aware of this reality.

About Patrick Reed

Hailing from Houston, Texas, Patrick Reed is a professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the European Tour. In his time as a PGA golfer, Reed has experienced significant success, becoming known as a force on the Tour. In August 2019, following a strong weekend of golf, Reed secured his 7th PGA Tour title by winning the 2019 Northern Trust at Liberty National Harbor Golf Club in New Jersey.

The success at Liberty National Harbor Golf Club came after Patrick Reed’s breakthrough year in 2018. While competing in the 2018 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, Reed displayed an exceptional performance throughout the course of the tournament. His high level of play would help Patrick Reed win his first Masters Tournament on April 8, 2018, helping him jump to number 11 in the world. Reed’s historic win would mark a notable shift in his professional career.

Before winning the Masters Tournament in 2018, Patrick Reed was already becoming known as a force to be reckoned with. In 2014, Reed won the WGC-Cadillac Championship, replacing Woods as the youngest-ever winner of a World Golf Championship. The victory at Trump National Doral marked Reed’s third PGA TOUR win in a seven-month span, including the 2013 Wyndham Championship and the 2014 Humana Challenge.

At Humana, Reed set the PGA Tour record for most strokes under par after 54 holes after three consecutive rounds of 63 to start the tournament. In September of 2014, Reed made his impassioned debut on the U.S. Ryder Cup Team, amassing a 3-0-1 record.