Purpose Begins with Planning. Impact Requires Strategy.
Supporting Client Philanthropists
Strategic Giving & Legacy Integration
- Globally, the philanthropy funds market reached USD 630 billion in 2023, projected to more than double to USD 1.2 trillion by 2033.
- In 2023, ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals (those with over USD 30 million) accounted for 38 % of all individual giving worldwide, though they make up only a small fraction of the population.
Japan’s Philanthropic Landscape
- In 2020, individual giving totaled just ¥1.2 trillion (~USD 8 billion), about 0.23 % of Japan’s GDP, compared to 1.37 % in the United States.
- While overall donation levels are low, bequest giving has grown sharply: gifts via estate deductions rose from USD 54 million in 2014 to USD 283 million in 2020.
- Japan ranks near the bottom of global giving metrics - 116 in the World Giving Index out of 118 countries - reflecting both cultural norms and structural barriers to giving.
Tracking and Evaluating Impact
Serving Charities & Non-Profits
Investment Management & Endowment Strategy
Nonprofit organizations often must balance liquidity for grants with capital growth and risk oversight. Our services include:
- Establishing investment policy statements aligned with mission and payout needs
- Designing diversified portfolios capable of supporting both grants and strategic investments
- Providing rigorous risk oversight, including stress testing, correlations, and liquidity buffers
Enhancing Donor Engagement & Governance
We advise charities on:
- Structuring donor-managed investment accounts, allowing high-value donors greater transparency and control over impact assets.
- Supporting investment committees, board-level fiduciary oversight, and mission-aligned governance
- Guiding nonprofit clients through performance reporting, donor storytelling, and institutional benchmarking
Our Integrated Approach
Discovery & Strategy
We begin by understanding your philanthropic goals or the mission strategy of your organization - defining giving priorities, time horizon, liquidity and capital requirements.
Structuring & Vehicle Design
Depending on need, we design tools such as DAFs, private foundations, trusts, or grant-making funds, ensuring alignment with regulatory, tax, and legacy objectives.
Investment Oversight & Due Diligence
Our seasoned analysts review managers, governance structures, and strategic fit across public markets, private solutions, and socially responsible vehicles.
Monitoring & Impact Measurement
We deliver transparent reporting on grants and investments, including impact metrics, financial returns, and administrative efficiency.
Ongoing Review & Adaptation
As goals, missions, and environments evolve, we adapt strategies in partnership with donors or nonprofit leadership.
Why Gifford Roth?
We stand out through our ability to support both sides of the philanthropic equation:
- Global experience with cross-border planning, suited to international families, expatriates, and Japanese clients alike
- Research-led strategies, providing meaningful metrics and evidence-based guidance
- Fiduciary independence, every recommendation is aligned with your mission and values
- Seamless integration of philanthropic giving into broader wealth, estate, or organizational planning
Why It Matters
- Global philanthropic giving exceeded USD 810 billion in 2022, and is expected to continue growing as wealth expands and younger donors prioritize impact.
- In climate philanthropy alone, funding rose 20 % in 2023, reaching up to USD 15.8 billion.
- High-wealth individuals, foundations, and family offices increasingly seek philanthropic strategies that deliver measurable change rather than passive donations.
Begin Your Philanthropic Journey
Whether you wish to structure giving during your lifetime, plan a legacy gift as part of your estate strategy, or guide a nonprofit’s investment framework, Gifford Roth offers tailored expertise and unwavering stewardship.