A Generous Life: Reflections on Inspired Giving

by Peter Karoff, Melinda Marble (Editor)

Overview

A bold and imaginative guide for donors who want to make their giving more meaningful, from a pioneering thinker in the field of philanthropy.
 
In 1989, Peter Karoff, a businessman with a passion for social justice, had an idea that would fuse his financial expertise with his drive for doing good: He would found a nonprofit consulting firm—among the first of its kind in the country—to help donors decide where and how to direct their giving. The Philanthropic Initiative soon became a leader in the emerging field of strategic philanthropy. Since then, TPI has influenced the direction and focus of billions of dollars in philanthropy.
 
A Generous Life compiles Peter’s reflections throughout this remarkable second act—lessons learned, provocative ideas, and stories about the power and potential of philanthropy. Through speeches, essays, and blog posts spanning decades, Peter presents giving as a journey, acknowledging the challenges and celebrating what he calls “coming 'round right”: finding the true philanthropic connections that add value to society and contribute to a just world. 
 
Filled with practical examples, references to everything from pop music to sailing, and poetry, Peter’s writing captures the curiosity and joy that defined his life and work, and calls the reader to find their own unique joy in philanthropy.

Just as Peter himself did throughout his life, his words will inspire readers to grow, learn, and strive for greater impact and meaning in their giving.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633311152
Publisher:	Disruption Books
Publication date:	07/15/2025
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Peter Karoff was a champion of civil rights and social justice, a published poet, and a pioneering leader in the field of strategic philanthropy and philanthropic advising. He founded The Philanthropic Initiative, a Boston-based nonprofit philanthropic advising firm that designs transformative giving solutions at the local, national, and global level. In 2006, Peter was named a Purpose Prize Fellow in celebration of his visionary ideas and profound impact on the field of philanthropy. He was the author of The World We Want: New Dimensions in Philanthropy and Social Change and Parable, a book of poetry, and was the editor of Just Money: A Critique of Contemporary American Philanthropy. He passed away in March 2017.
 
Melinda Marble is a consultant and philanthropic advisor who has spent her career in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. In addition to heading or directing giving at three family foundations, including the Barr Foundation and the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Family Foundation, she has served at community foundations and led a regional association of grantmakers. She has been a consultant to more than a hundred donors and philanthropic enterprises ranging in size from neighborhood-based grassroots groups to major national foundations and universities. She is a former TPI staff and board member.

Table of Contents

Introduction by Melinda Marble

“Larger Than Life”

Section 1: The Calling

The Opportunity of Philanthropy

Your Whole Self

The Wake-Up Call

The Gift of Creativity

The Generosity Scale

Reflection

“A Hierarchy of Blessings”

Section 2: Embarking

The TPI Philanthropic Curve

Translating Values into Practice

True Wind and Apparent Wind

Intersections for the Common Good

The Fusion of Art and Science in Effective Philanthropy

Reflection

Section 3: Trouble

The Greek Chorus

“Conscience”

The Greek Chorus: Second Variation

Reset: The New Name of the Game

Parallel Tracks

Hope Within the Shithole

The Imagined Community (the Crime of Not Listening)

Reflection

Section 4: Justice

Standing Up

The Redress of Philanthropy

Sleepwalkers

“Admonition”

The Sociology of Wealth

In an Era of Scarcity

The Speech I Have Always Wanted to Give

“Will”

Movement Builders

Reflection

“Villanelle”

Section 5: Coming 'Round Right

A Teachable Moment

Listen to the Voices

Who Is My Stranger?

The Magic of Philanthropy

Catechism for a Great Foundation

Reflection

Section 6: The World We Leave

Reflections on Legacy

Sitting by a Still Pond

“One Who Did Not Go Gentle”

Editorial Reviews

"A Generous Life offers an inside look at philanthropy from a man who helped shape it. Peter Karoff’s personal reflections reveal how the field has evolved during the last three decades, and will inspire funders and advisors alike to think more deeply about how we give."
—Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation

“It was among the greatest gifts of my life to be Peter’s friend. We walked and talked all over the country as he imagined how donors could be more strategic in their giving. Why wealth with responsibility is the only path to wealth as well-being. He tried out his poems on me and they always sang. Now, in A Generous Life, you can hear Peter’s voice as he sings out his love for his fellow humans—the essence of philanthropy.”
—James (Jay) E. Hughes Jr., author of Family Wealth: Keeping it in the Family and coauthor of The Cycle of the Gift: Family Wealth and Wisdom

“Peter taught us philanthropy is the gift of who you are. It is a state of being that calls on our bravest and most authentic selves as we practice the art of giving. The lessons he imparted continue to resonate: to begin with the end in mind; to swing for the fences with big, hairy, audacious goals; to imagine the world we want through a lens of generosity.

Wherever you are on the philanthropic curve, Peter’s presumption of hope in the ‘great percussion of philanthropic possibilities’ provides inspiration for the lifelong journey of becoming our best selves.” 
—Angelica Berrie, President of the Russell Berrie Foundation and coauthor of A Passion for Giving: Tools and Inspiration for Creating a Charitable Foundation

“If you were fortunate enough to have known Peter Karoff, to read this wonderful collection of his essays on giving is like reopening a conversation that was never quite finished. If you do not yet know Peter’s work, you now have a ready access point. For all who love philanthropy, poetry, democracy, or just downright civic conviviality, this book will inspire you and challenge you to keep what matters alive.” 
—Phil Cubeta, former Director of Chartered Advisor of Philanthropy® (CAP®) Program at The American College of Financial Services

“I am one of the lucky ones: those who were mentored by and simultaneously worked with Peter Karoff. And those actions were inseparable to Peter—he mentored everyone he worked with, and everyone he consulted he also mentored.  

How grateful I am that Peter’s voice and wisdom are now available to all. How much we, as one human family, need his reflections on the joy of generosity. Giving isn’t only about impact, metrics, and results. Giving is more—it is the root to our finding purpose, joy, and identity in our time on this earth. There is no wiser guide I know of than Peter Karoff. My gratitude to those closest to him for bringing his writings together in a cohesive and approachable way. This gives those readers who weren’t blessed to know Peter a chance to encounter him through this book and have his wisdom push them forward. Peter made me better. Anyone who reads A Generous Life will have the chance to be better too.”
—Amy Goldman, CEO and Chair of GHR Foundation

“This compendium is a tribute to Peter and his exceptional humanness, and I am struck by how incredibly relevant his writings are for society today. To understand Peter and his work, begin your journey reading the wonderful tribute by Melinda Marble, and then peruse the topical chapters laid out thematically. And don’t miss the first chapter’s quote that conveys the ‘essence’ of Peter’s beliefs:

‘The potential for creative and original thinking and action is all around us. It often lives just below the surface of the everyday and with the right support can be stimulated, nurtured, mentored.’

Peter always hoped to spark your creativity and to have you enjoy your journey!”
—Sara Hamilton, Founder of Family Office Exchange

“As I paged through A Generous Life, I felt the extraordinary comfort of being in conversation with Peter once again. What a gift—in each chapter of this book, I found myself smiling and nodding, saying to myself, ‘Yes! Absolutely!’ I particularly love the practical bulleted lists, reflection questions, how-tos, and self-assessments. It gives me comfort that future generations of philanthropic advisors will benefit from a grounding in Peter’s influence. His words serve as a reminder that rooting in love and responsibility, centering justice and generosity, and having meaningful conversations are signposts that they are on the right path.”
—Elaine Martyn, Senior Vice President at Fidelity Charitable

“Peter’s sage words remind us that individual giving is meant to be a deeply personal, heartfelt, and joyful journey—not simply a strategic exercise fueled by impartial metrics and PowerPoint presentations. In philanthropy, getting the balance right between one’s brain and one’s heart truly matters; if we are thoughtful, our giving can both make a substantive difference in the world and help us become a better version of ourselves.”
—Thomas Tierney, Cofounder of the Bridgespan Group

“An expansive interpretation of the meaning of philanthropic activity . . . these essays are as instructional and insightful as they are inspirational.”
—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2025-04-25
A posthumously published collection of wide-ranging essays by Karoff, an innovator in the field of philanthropy.

In 1989, the author founded The Philanthropic Initiative (TPI), an organization devoted to helping clients charitably donate more strategically. Giving, he avers in this book, is more than the sum of its mechanics—it’s a spiritual calling, a grand “wake-up call,” and the expression of a deep passion. Karoff taught others how to establish a profoundly personal connection to their charitable efforts, and to see philanthropy as a concrete “translation of values to the practice of values.” On a societal level, he envisioned an “open-source philanthropy,” which he defines here as “more effective systems of collective social action” with “less segmentation of issues and more holistic ways of solving problems.” Editor Marble, who worked for TPI, has gathered an eclectic assemblage of essays by the author, who died in 2017; the pieces offer an expansive interpretation of the meaning of philanthropic activity. The author was literarily inclined, and these short works, all composed over the last quarter-century, include his own poems, references to William Butler Yeats and Aristotle, and philosophical discussions of the nature of wealth and generosity. Marble asserts that this collection is not a “how-to manual,” but rather a “dreamer’s guide,” and to some extent, she’s right; in these pages, Karoff never hides his idealistic desire to “make the world a better place,” and unabashedly valorizes the “magic of philanthropy.” However, he does also dispense a considerable amount of actionable counsel about efficient charitable giving. Moreover, he squarely acknowledges the “pressure of reality” and the corresponding danger of naïveté: “From the outset, it is clear that you cannot ‘magic’ away the critical problems facing the world,” he notes. “One of TPI’s operating premises is that ‘social change is incremental at best.’ Thus the waving of wands doesn’t do it.” Overall, these essays are as instructional and insightful as they are inspirational.

An eclectic and stimulating attempt to create a “new language” around charitable efforts.

Kirkus Reviews