Molly Hunter Dobson is the epitome of a philanthropist. For most of her adult life, Molly has dedicated her time and resources to the betterment of her community. She has supported organizations that serve the Ann Arbor area and has been a longtime supporter of the Mackinac Center, dating back to 2001. After receiving a degree from the University of Michigan, Molly enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where she worked in communications.

Upon arriving home after her service in the late 1940s, Molly was acutely aware of the effects World War II had on our country and decided to take action. She was raised in a home that encouraged people to give of themselves, and this philosophy encouraged her to get involved in philanthropy. Though she desired to help her community, she lacked the means to do so monetarily at the time. This did not discourage her, however.

Molly knew that while philanthropy involves financial support, it also requires people to give their time, knowledge and skills. Engaging in this nonfinancial form of philanthropy helped her deepen her convictions. It also made her aware of her interests and passions, knowledge she then used to identify the impact she wanted her philanthropy to have. Consequently, her many years of service and philanthropic engagement have touched the lives of thousands. Because of her experience, Molly has received many awards and has even helped a program that trains young professionals in raising money. She has learned a lot about philanthropy over the years and has graciously agreed to share some reflections on how to become a thoughtful giver and increase one’s philanthropic impact.

Q:

Molly, you’ve obviously been very involved in this world of philanthropy and you often talk about being a thoughtful giver. Could you share with me how you personally transitioned from being a giver to being a thoughtful giver?

A:

Well, I had certain convictions, but I didn’t really ask more questions about how I wanted to spend my energy. When I had to add up my contributions for the year for tax purposes, it was interesting for me to see which directions I was going with my investments and which choices I made. Much later, when I was more comfortable with being part of philanthropy, both as a donor and as a fundraiser, I realized that you can have so much energy and money, but you have to do some serious thinking about priorities. Much later in my life, I got involved with a program at the University of Michigan that served students who were interested in working for nonprofits, and specifically, in development. It was called the Development Summer Internship Program and the class was about 20 students, and I got the chance to speak with them about fundraising. Participating in this program was another moment that got me to really ask myself, “What are your priorities? What do you care the most about?” This prompted me to become more thoughtful in my giving and to really define for myself what is important to me.

Q:

I like how you mentioned the importance of thinking about your priorities when it comes to giving and being a thoughtful giver. Why do you think this is an important component?

A:

I think it’s intelligent giving. If you don’t think about it, then by time the middle of the year gets here, the funds that you may have set aside for philanthropic purposes may be gone. I think you really need to think about what really matters to you, or if you find you really don’t have a priority, then maybe take three or four favorite directions and divide them in percentages for each direction. It should be intelligent, not casual or unplanned. I think maybe people forget that giving is a form of investment. We are now so inundated with requests that if you don’t take the time to think about how you allocate your funds, it could all be gone by January. So, you really have to think about the kind of impact you want to make and come up with a budget and priority process. Find out what you care most about and what is most important.

Q:

Would you say that determining what your philanthropic priorities are could help make a bigger impact as opposed to spreading your resources thin by supporting so many organizations?

A:

Oh yes, I suppose so, yes. I think that by choosing a direction with your investments, it impacts the world and it impacts your family. I can see how my son, for example, has been impacted by the way my husband and I have dealt with our giving. It sends a clear message about our priorities and a consistent message about how to give and why it’s important.

Q:

I agree with you completely and I do think giving is an interesting and tricky concept. Why do you think we give? Why is it an important practice?

A:

Well, hopefully we’re all interested in a better world, and if we’re not going to be part of the resolution and if others don’t make the same choices, we’re not going to get very far very fast. It’s fun when you can see the results of your gift. So often, you don’t get to see the results of your gift and when you get that chance it’s amazing. The world is full of problems, and we just need to be astute to tackle them and help resolve them the best we can.

Q:

You’re totally right. I’m curious, as someone who has invested their entire life to philanthropy, what kind of impact has it had on you personally?

A:

Well, I can see the results when I give locally, and that is very rewarding because if you’ve been a citizen for a long time, you know the needs and you know what matters to you. You’ve thought about your priorities and can be comfortable about making your decisions about gifting and you get to see firsthand the difference you’re making. I like to see how my habits and my husband’s — who was equally involved and very generous financially and with his talents — habits have influenced our son and how now our son teaches those habits to his kids. I like to see how the importance of giving is being passed down and to see how these lessons and examples are being absorbed; it’s like an echo. So, giving has taught me personally how it can influence your family, friends, and community.

Q:

Well Molly, I think you’ve shared some jewels of wisdom here so thank you for that. Do you have any last words you’d like to share or advice?

A:

I’ll just say this. Life is short, shorter than we like to think. What type of impact are you going to make? You have to really think about that. What are you going to do to make a difference? It’s so important, and it’s a question we all have to confront.