PHILANTHROPIC ADVISORY
Giving with impact, clarity, and joy.
A partnership for individuals and families who want their giving to reflect who they are, and to build something that lasts.
WHY I DO THIS WORK
In conversations with individuals and families thinking seriously about their giving, most share a similar challenge. They care deeply. They've set aside real resources. And they want it to matter in the world.
But the path from intention to impact isn't always obvious. Inbound requests pile up and without a clear strategy, every ask becomes its own decision. Giving can become technical and transactional, a process to manage rather than a purpose to pursue. Family members often hold different visions for what the work should be, and a new generation arriving with different values can make that harder still.
None of this means something is broken. It means the work deserves real support.
"Philanthropy should be a source of clarity, connection, and energy, not another thing on the list."
HOW I WORK
While there are core principles in the work, I don’t show up with a fixed process. I start by understanding where a family is: what’s already in motion, what feels stuck, and what they’re hoping for. From there, we figure out the path forward together.
For some families, this work begins and ends with their DAF or foundation. For others, it extends to how their giving, impact investing, board work, and advocacy all connect into something coherent and purposeful.
Clarify vision
Get clear on what matters, what impact means to you, and how you'll know when you're making progress.
Align the family
Bring different perspectives into conversation, across generations and priorities, and find real shared ground.
Design for impact
Build a strategy for deploying resources in ways that go beyond the traditional grant.
THE FIVE CLARITIES
I've come to think about this work in terms of five things families gain clarity on. Not everyone needs all five, but these are the questions that tend to unlock everything else.
Clarity on Why
What is our motivation to give? Why is contributing important to us as a family? How do we think about legacy, and what do we want to leave behind?
Clarity on Who, What, and Where
What are we most passionate about? Is it a specific issue, a place, a community? Where do we feel the strongest pull to contribute?
Clarity on Outcomes
What change do we hope to inspire or create? What does success look like for us? How will we know if we’re making progress?
Clarity on How
What do we bring beyond money? Expertise? Relationships? Time? What financial tools are available to us beyond traditional grants?
Clarity on When
How do we think about our contribution over time? What does it look like now versus five or ten years in the future? How does our approach evolve as the family evolves?
Running through all of this is a commitment to building a shared vision, with couples, across generations, and among board members. The human work is where real alignment.happens.
A FULLER SET OF TOOLS
Most families think about philanthropy only as grant making. The full range of tools is much wider, spanning four domains. The real opportunity isn’t any single tools. It’s in how they create impact together..
Philanthropic Capital
From a DAF or private foundation
Grants · PRIs · Recoverable grants · Loan guarantees · Fiscal sponsorship
Investment Capital
Personal or foundation assets
Mission-related investments · Impact investing · Venture philanthropy · CDFIs
Political & Civic
Personal assets
Direct political giving · 501(c)(4) advocacy · Ballot measure campaigns · Lobbying support
Time, expertise & platform
Personal contribution
Board service · Volunteer expertise · Network & convening · Mentorship · Public voice
"The most powerful question isn’t which of these tools to use. It’s how they create impact together."
WHO I WORK WITH
High earners not yet giving formally
You know you want to contribute, you just don’t know where to start.
DAF or foundation holders who feel stuck
You have the vehicle but not the direction.
Givers without a strategy
You’re generous, but your giving feels reactive. Every ask is its own decision.
Families at a wealth event moment
A liquidity event, an inheritance, a generational transition - the right moment to build something intentional.
WHAT WORKING TOGETHER LOOKS LIKE
01
A long-term partnership
Part-time embedded advisor, available for questions, decisions, and strategic thinking as they come up. Structured as a retainer.
02
A focused engagement
Scoped around a specific question or challenge, often around strategic alignment or the exploration or a new idea. Typically three to six months.
03
A starting conversation
A structured listening process to surface what matters most and where the opportunities are.
ABOUT JUSTIN
I spent eight years as a trusted advisor embedded inside a high-wealth family, working not as a consultant but as a real partner in their decisions, their relationships, and how they evolved over time. I helped them deploy more than $500 million. Before that, 25 years as a senior leader in government serving leaders in both political parties, the nonprofit sector, and as a business owner.
What I’ve learned, above all else, is that the hardest part of this work isn’t strategic. It’s human. Real impact comes from two things: a trusting relationship with your advisor and genuine alignment across your family. My job is to help build both.
I hold a certification from 21/64, focused on family dynamics and intergenerational wealth. Presidential Leadership Scholar. Degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School and Georgetown University. Earlier in life, a musician and songwriter. I live in Atlanta with my wife and two passionate and joyful children.
If it seems like a fit,
I’d welcome a conversation.
Get in touch and we’ll take it from there.