I recently had the opportunity to speak with Drew Brees, quarterback for the NFL's New Orleans Saints, fresh off his MVP performance in Super Bowl XLIV. The discussion did not revolve around football. Rather, we discussed his philanthropic campaign to aid the city of New Orleans. Joined by his wife Brittany, the conversation revealed an approach to giving that is unique in my experience; it is the difference between giving and high-impact philanthropy.

"From the beginning, we knew this was about more than football," Drew says. "New Orleans provided an incredible opportunity both on and off the field. We were embraced by the people of New Orleans and we made a commitment to earn the trust of this great community."
Within that statement are two critical elements of high-impact philanthropy: the personal and genuine connection to the people served, plus a true sense of responsibility to the effort.

Celebrities are, in a very real sense, a brand. So too are companies and established families. How that brand is used varies greatly. Integrating that brand into one's philanthropy is often called "cause-related marketing" in the corporate world and becomes equally important to the individual or family name.

In addition to a personal passion, high impact philanthropy involves a multi-disciplinary team that may consist of a donor's financial, tax and legal advisors, as well as experts in the field of philanthropy.  In this case, it also involves Drew's business manager, Chris Stuart.  

"We decided early on that we will expect any corporate partner to also be a charitable partner," Stuart says. "It seems reasonable that if a company is looking to leverage its brand by partnering with Drew, they would want to become involved with and support the causes that are important to Drew and Brittany."

Team Brees also includes an organization known as Operation Kids Foundation.  Operation Kids is a boutique philanthropic group and a unique member of an advisory team. Their role begins after the other well-designed structural elements are in place. They represent a level of on-the-ground review and ongoing management of recipient charities and programs that ensure a higher level of accountability and fulfillment for a donor. As a charitable organization itself, Operation Kids Foundation can also participate in public-matching fundraising strategies.

According to Rick Larsen, president of Operation Kids Foundation, "Drew and Brittany were already on board with our philosophy. They were interested in identifying projects that would mend the social fabric of the community and do so in a measurable way. It was one thing to say we were making a difference, another thing to be able to show it." That is to say, a charitable donation should be viewed as an investment in one's community and should command the same expectations of accountability, guidance and performance as one would require of any other investment. Incidentally, a byproduct of a clear insistence on accountability is that recipient organizations and programs seek to elevate their performance along the way, as they are required to report back to the donor on the impact of the gift.

Each member of an advisory team plays a role in helping a donor articulate his objectives, structure his giving and identify opportunities that further the donor's charitable ambition. Many wealthy donors will hire an institution such as U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management, which leverages an in-house philanthropic management practice, to provide comprehensive philanthropic advisory services including: helping donors create and implement strategic plans designed to enhance the value and impact of their contributions; designing structured giving programs and evaluating grant proposals to help ensure recipients are sustainable, efficient and effective; and providing comprehensive administrative and fulfillment services to lessen and simplify administrative burden so that donors can focus on the joy of giving and on the causes that are most important to them.

Effective philanthropy often requires strategic thinking to determine how you can potentially enhance the impact of the funds you contribute and ongoing analysis to measure the results of your giving.

The analysis of impact was a major focus for Drew and Brittany. The theme of the New Orleans campaign was "Expect More," according to Drew. "We decided that, as a team, we were not looking to just be another donor and get things back to normal. We were looking to establish a new attitude of expecting the best from one's community."

In fact, the carefully crafted rebuilding campaign launched with a community gathering at Lusher Field, where hundreds of local youth signed an "Expect More" pledge along with the Saints quarterback. This detail, a "signing day" if you will, was added by Drew and Brittany to further engage the young people on a very personal level. It is indicative of the depth of the connection that Drew and Brittany formed with this community.

Their efforts have paid off. As Brittany confidently states, "Today we know where every dollar was spent and can proudly drive around the city and say, 'Our team built that, and it is only the beginning.'"

These results require extensive planning. In the Brees' case, their "Expect More" campaign required more than eight months of preparation and
patience-a process not unusual in the business world, but all too rare in philanthropy. Philanthropic gift management should embrace the principles of sound financial management while striving to change communities and improve lives.

The Brees' approach to giving is indicative of changes in philanthropy. According to Operation Kids, there are several forces at work. One is a generational issue: Younger generations are less comfortable with simply handing over their donation to a charity. They want a more involved experience. The second issue is one of shrinking assets.  An increasing number of individuals and families have found themselves asking for the first time the pivotal question in philanthropy: "How can I achieve the most impact through my donations?" This timely introspection is peaking just when nonprofits across the nation are facing heightened demand and decreasing resources. Simply put, donors and nonprofits want and need to achieve more with every charitable dollar.

Donors who want to increase the impact of their philanthropy may focus initially on the best philanthropic structure to help meet their needs, such as private foundations, trusts or donor-advised funds.  Deciding on an appropriate structure is critical to facilitating effective philanthropy, but donors must move beyond the vehicle to address the accountability of the recipient partners and the actual use of the funds.

Philanthropic gifts that embrace the principles of sound financial management with the goal of changing communities will result in improved lives. As Winston Churchill once said, "However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results." It is an investment in the most important enterprise we have: humanity.

Jesse Turley is senior vice president for U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management in Greenwich, Conn.