PSI Managers » What We Offer

What We Offer

Our clients work with us because they do not want a ‘set-and-forget’ solution to their philanthropy. They understand that there are few silver bullets that achieve meaningful social change. But they want a process that ensures that their donations have been invested wisely.

Our clients work with us because they want to make their philanthropy both effective and engaging. They want to address particular social causes that they believe require change; they want to think intelligently about how to achieve that change; and they want to work more closely with the charities that they support.

Our clients recognise that they need additional help to achieve this. Not institutional help, but help that is very personalised, intelligent and knowledgeable. Help that understands their thinking when they are not around and is strong enough to challenge it when they are.

Our clients know that PSI Managers have the experience, the knowledge and the commitment to be their best possible philanthropic adviser.

Strategy

A strategic framework
We help you articulate, build and maintain a strategic framework for your philanthropy.

Question until we understand
We will enjoy robust, reflective conversations with one another. Like Mr Toyoda (of Toyota Motor Corporation), we ask you the ‘why?’ question many times: Why do you think that cause is more important than others? Why do you think supporting those charities will address that cause? Why have efforts to address this cause failed in the past?

We thus help articulate for you (in particular for you, but also for your family or Board or wider relationships) why you support the causes that you support and why the activities you support are, in your opinion, the best way of achieving the change you seek.

Challenge your philanthropy
In the process we challenge your thinking, your reasoning and your knowledge.

Impact

Pinpoint
We help you identify what activities or programs your donations should support.

Understanding the landscape
Social change is hard. Bill Gates, who devotes most of his time now to philanthropy, describes it as the most difficult thing he has ever done. Meaningful accountability mechanisms are not easily established. Identifying existing or new high impact programs is difficult.

There are social workers, teachers and health workers who have ideas for change, but usually lack the resources and the experience to test their ideas.

Capitalise on our expertise
At PSI Managers our job is to identify these ideas for our clients. We appreciate, in a way that charities rarely do, both the broader context of the cause being addressed and the significance of other partners, such as universities, government agencies, and other philanthropists.

Management

Real attention for your projects
PSI Managers helps you manage the ongoing relationships with the charities that you contribute to. Inattention to implementation is in our view where so many high impact philanthropic endeavours will fail.

Professional negotiation
We begin by negotiating a better donor relationship for you. We are creative with what form your support should take: is a loan better than a grant or even a social impact bond? Should specific strategic advice or support be part of your contribution? Is a small donation more effective in the first instance?

Critique and improve
We create realistic, simple frameworks for setting objectives and reviewing what has been achieved. We are conscious of not over-managing, but valuing the relationship with the charities and appreciating their capacity constraints. In discussion with their management, we constructively critique the progress being made and provide dialogue and suggestions for them about the broader context of what your funding wants to achieve.

PSI Managers is a boutique organisation servicing a discrete number of clients. We work with philanthropists who are serious about change, but cannot justify the expense of maintaining their own full time officers. We design our fees to be appropriate to the level of your annual giving. We value long-term relationships.