Family Philanthropy Tools: Money Messages

"Money doesn't grow on trees."

"Save for a rainy day."

Though everyone has a different relationship with and viewpoint on money, you've heard money messages like this throughout your life. These money messages, especially ones you heard growing up, can inform your choices today. 

Our Money Messages tool, which is available to any of our fundholders through The Center for Family Philanthropy, helps participants be more intentional about how they give, save and spend their money, as well as better articulate the money messages that truly resonate with them and that they want to convey in their lives.

Although we use this tool to spark conversations from a philanthropic standpoint, it can also be a springboard to deeper conversations in families and couples. All of us have financial behaviors that come from the money messages we received growing up. Some people want to emulate those messages and some people use it as a road map to what they want to change. Either way, the tool can help you identify the messages you want to send with your financial and philanthropic habits so you can be more effective in that area of your life.

If you'd like to learn more or schedule a family meeting to help uncover your charitable goals, contact Karen Hrdlicka, director of The Center for Family Philanthropy, at khrdlicka@akroncf.org or 330-436-5640.