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Doris Rubenstein is the founder and principal consultant with PDP Services, a philanthropy advising and management firm in Minneapolis, Minn. Working as a fundraiser for more than 25 years, she gained experience in the philanthropic methods of such highly visible companies as IBM, ExxonMobil, 3M and General Mills.

A frequent speaker on the topic of corporate citizenship, Rubenstein won the 2004 Twin Cities Business Journal "Woman Changemaker" Award. Her articles on corporate and individual philanthropy have appeared in the Journal of Financial Planning, Trusts and Estates magazine, and CPA Wealth Provider, where she is a contributing editor. No wonder we couldn't limit ourselves to just five questions ...

1. When last we spoke, you mentioned that large charity groups like the United Way don't appeal to boomers, who are likely to "think globally but give locally." Why do you think this is, and where will this put the big charities five, ten years down the road?

The United Way does a terrific job of raising money for some very worthy organizations, many of which don't have the capacity to raise major cash on their own. Unfortunately, by forfeiting their fundraising to United Way, they also forfeit a lot of their identity and "face." Boomers are relationship oriented, unlike the career-oriented Gen Xers. This lack of "face" and the lack of opportunity to "get to know you" turns Boomers off to most federated charities.

2. There has been a lot of talk about boomers benefiting from "the greatest transfer of wealth in history," with one side saying it is a certainty and the other side saying it has been greatly exaggerated. Where do you stand on this issue, and what does this mean for charitable giving?

The current issue of CPA Wealth Provider tells us that it's still on the way. The Greatest Generation, who are the parents of the boomers, are living longer than anticipated. They're using up their children's inheritance. What this means for charities is that instead of getting big chunks of cash immediately from inheritances, they'll end up having to wait longer for the payoff, when these older Boomers use the diminished inheritances to create charitable remainder unitrusts, charitable gift annuities, et cetera.

3. In your book, The Good Corporate Citizen, there is an entire chapter devoted to assessing a charity before handing over your money. What are some of the things people should look for when assessing a charity?

Good management and good mission. The best way to find out how well a charity is managed, I still believe, is to become personally involved in it. Volunteer in some way or another: join the board or a committee; do some hands-on work. On one hand, it's very hard to hide serious problems. On the other, the good work will shine through minor difficulties.

4. What are some of the differences between speaking to individuals about charitable giving and addressing corporations about charitable giving?

For most businesses, 95 percent of giving is WINFM: what's in it for me? It's PR, it's employee relations, it's CEO payback to CEO, et cetera. Individual giving is much more emotional. That's why you'll virtually never see corporate support of "orphan diseases."

5. It's often remarked that boomers, while spiritual, just aren't as churchgoing as previous generations. In your research, have churches, synagogues and mosques suffered financially from the supposed downturn of attendance?

You bet. In fact, there's a fast-growing trend for houses of worship to hire professional fundraisers onto their staff and use consultants frequently. This is too serious to leave to amateurs.

Bonus Question: With so many other demands on their money – children's school loans, health insurance needs, caring for aging parents, retirement planning – is it difficult convincing people to give to charitable causes?

If a person doesn't have a charitable bone in their body – and there are plenty of them out there – then the fundraiser or volunteer should just stop beating the dead horse and move on to a live prospect. For those with some inclination to give, it is a matter of determining which personality you're dealing with, then tailoring your approach accordingly. And no one expects you to give if it's going to seriously hurt your lifestyle or financial health. No one can set your philanthropic priorities but you.

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