She became an overnight billionaire after years as a hospital nurse. Now a philanthropist, he is challenging America’s wealthiest to ‘redistribute’ their wealth

“We have to redistribute what we have that is too much,” he said in an interview with the Associated Press from his home in Silicon Valley.

Although many say that giving away large amounts of money is difficult, that is not Dageville’s opinion. His advice is to just get started.

America’s richest people have they encouraged each other to give more money since about 1889, the year Andrew Carnegie published an article entitled, “The Gospel of Wealth.” He said that the rich should give away their wealth during their lifetime, in part to reduce the risk of inequality.

All the consulting firms, education and philanthropic vehicles are expanding to help support donations from the wealthy, to some extent inspired by the Giving Pledge, a project at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2010, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates asked other billionaires to pledge to give away half of their wealth during their lifetime or at will. So far, 244 have signed.

So, what prevents the super rich from giving more and giving more quickly?

What prevents billionaires from giving?

Philanthropy counselors say some answers are subjective, like finding the right cars and counselors, and others involve feelings and emotions, like talking to family members or wanting to look good in front of friends.

“It’s like a typhoon of behavior,” said Piyush Tantia, chief innovation officer at idea42, who recently helped out. report with the help of the Gates Foundation to look at what hinders the wealthiest donors.

He also said that unlike everyday donors, who may give in response to a request from a friend or family member, the very wealthy discuss more about where to donate.

“We might think, ‘He’s a billionaire. Who cares about a hundred grand? He’s going to make it back in the next 15 minutes,'” he said. “But it doesn’t sound like that.”

His advice is to think of compassion as a portfolio, with different levels of risk and strategies that work together. That way it’s less about the effect of each individual aid and more about the amount.

Marie Dageville said she benefited from talking to other people who signed the Giving Pledge, especially one person who encouraged her to do it. total operating costsmeaning that the organization can decide how to use the money itself. He believes nonprofits close to the communities they serve know how to spend the money and said they are not backing down from concerns that it will be misused.

“If you are where you are now – you can redistribute this wealth – you either took a risk or someone else took a risk,” he said, adding. “Then why not risk it (on your mercy)?”

Dageville also thinks that there is a focus on the needs of the donors, rather than the needs of the recipients.

MacKenzie Scott is proof that donations can move quickly

Confidential and open discussions between donors also help them move forward, consultants have found. The Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania runs a school that brings together wealthy donors, their advisors and foundation leaders to study together in groups.

Kat Rosqueta, head of the center, said donors love it MacKenzie Scottauthor and now multi-billionaire ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, shows that it is possible to move quickly.

“Do all the rich have to walk slower than MacKenzie Scott? No,” he said.

But he said, sometimes donors struggle to see how they can make a difference, since charity money is small compared to government spending or business.

Cara Bradley, deputy director of philanthropic partnerships at the Gates Foundation, said the scrutiny of philanthropic billionaires also means they feel a greater responsibility to use their money as effectively as possible.

“They have signed a pledge to sincerely try to give such a large amount of wealth. Then, people can get stuck because life is busy. This is difficult. Philanthropy is a real job,” he said.

Informality is key to encouraging giving

It’s also not easy to conduct in-depth research on billionaires, said Deborah Small, a professor of marketing at the Yale School of Management. But he said, in many cases, today’s cultures value anonymity in giving, which is seen as ideal because the giver is not known for their generosity.

“It would be good for the cause, and for the charity as a whole, if everyone was open because it would create a social culture that this is what is expected in the community,” he said.

Jorge Pérez, founder and CEO of Real Estate Development Group, along with his wife, Darlene, were the first to join the Giving Pledge in 2012. In an interview with The Associated Press, Pérez said that he often talks to his friends about giving more. and fast.

“I think people are going to stop calling me,” he joked.

He has also involved his older children in their philanthropy, most of which he does through the Miami Foundation. He said he decided to take the expertise of the foundation, instead of starting their own organizations, to speed up the evaluation of the people who can receive the aid.

Even before the Pérezes joined the Giving Pledge, they were active supporters of the arts and education in Miami, where they live. In 2011, the family donated their paintings and money, totaling $40 million, to the art museum, which was renamed the Pérez Art Museum Miami after the gift.

Pérez said he donates because he thinks non-aligned communities are unstable and because he wants to leave a legacy.

He said: “I still sell the idea that you are giving because of greed.” “One is that it makes you feel good. But two, especially in the city or the state or the country where you live, in the long run, this will make a big change to make our country fairer, better and more progressive and maybe it will make people more. wealth.”

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The Associated Press will receive financial support for media coverage in Africa from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.