Congratulations to Sean Stannard-Stockton of Tactical Philanthropy on the launch of his new venture (click below the jump to see the full release):

Burlingame, CA – August 31, 2009 – Tactical Philanthropy Advisors,
an advisory firm working with wealthy individuals and families, launched today.
It is headed by Sean Stannard-Stockton, co-founder of a wealth advisory firm
focused on philanthropists, a columnist for the Chronicle of Philanthropy and
author of the industry leading blog Tactical Philanthropy. 

Tactical Philanthropy Advisors has established working
arrangements with Schwab Charitable, Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund®, Calvert
Giving Fund and Foundation Source to provide administrative, back office
services to Tactical Philanthropy Advisors’ clients. Tactical Philanthropy
Advisors will provide comprehensive, ongoing advisory services for clients with
$1 million to $50 million or more in philanthropic assets. 

“Having worked in the wealth management industry for the past
decade, I know firsthand that the most effective way for wealthy donors to
obtain advice is as part of an ongoing relationship with an experienced
advisor,” said Mr. Stannard-Stockton, founder and CEO of Tactical Philanthropy
Advisors. “The old model of philanthropy consultants who offer outsourced
staffing services or bill by the project is not well-suited to the needs of most
major donors. Individual donors give $250 billion a year to charity, making up
82% of all charitable giving. A growing number of these donors want to be sure
that their philanthropy is actually making a difference.” 

Tactical Philanthropy Advisors launches three years after Mr.
Stannard-Stockton founded the Tactical Philanthropy blog, one of the industry’s
most popular destinations.

 “Tactical Philanthropy has emerged as an important platform
for some of philanthropy’s most critical debates,” said Jacob Harold, a
philanthropy program officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. “Sean
Stannard-Stockton absorbs the range of viewpoints across the field and then
offers his own. But, importantly, he also has welcomed dissent and conflict,
allowing Tactical Philanthropy to serve as a place for productive disagreement
across philanthropy—all with the goal of increasing our shared impact on
critical social and environmental issues.”

 Building on the success of the Tactical Philanthropy blog,
Tactical Philanthropy Advisors hopes to bring the vibrant, innovative approach
to philanthropy that Mr. Stannard-Stockton discusses on his blog to wealthy
individuals and families who want to ensure that their philanthropy is
effective.

 Greg Miller, former director of philanthropic affairs at
Google.org, said: “Working at Google.org I had an opportunity to be exposed to
some of the most innovative ideas in philanthropy. Sean always stays abreast of
cutting edge issues and fosters debate and learning with his Tactical
Philanthropy blog. For donors plugging into the latest philanthropic trends and
tools, Sean’s firm Tactical Philanthropy Advisors is a great
match.”

 Ken Berger, CEO of leading nonprofit evaluator Charity
Navigator, said: “Sean Stannard-Stockton has emerged as a leader in helping
people understand what makes for good philanthropy. He is one of the most
passionate, motivational and strategic thinkers in the field. By working with
Tactical Philanthropy Advisors, I think most donors can become good social
investors by improving the way they approach giving.”

 One of the core services of Tactical Philanthropy Advisors is
to act as a trusted intermediary between major donors and the professional field
of philanthropy. The firm is in the process of launching the Tactical
Philanthropy Knowledge Network, a network of professional grantmakers who are
committed to the idea that knowledge sharing leads to greater social impact.
Philanthropy thought leader Jed Emerson has agreed to act as Chair of the
Network. In addition, the design firm IDEO will be involved in designing the
Network and facilitating Network gatherings.

 In addition to working with individual and family
philanthropists, Tactical Philanthropy Advisors will also help leading wealth
managers, tax accountants, family offices and estate planners ensure that their
clients’ philanthropic plans are as robust as their financial plans. Unlike many
other firms, Tactical Philanthropy Advisors will offer comprehensive services
for both private foundations and donor advised funds, making them an objective
source for donors and client advisors seeking advice on structuring their
charitable giving.

 Tactical Philanthropy Advisors is committed to creating
social impact through advancing the field of philanthropy. In addition to
working directly with clients to achieve this goal, the company has committed to
support the work of the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, a public charity that
helps donors of all levels of wealth to engage in creative philanthropy.
Philanthropic Ventures Foundation is led by maverick grantmaker Bill
Somerville, author of “Grassroots Philanthropy.” The firm has also engaged the
services of Philanthropic Ventures Foundation and Bill Somerville to design
grassroots philanthropy solutions for Tactical Philanthropy
clients.

 “This is an exciting opportunity for Philanthropic Ventures
Foundation to collaborate with Tactical Philanthropy Advisors and bring together
a diversity of talents and knowledge for serving donors,” said Mr. Somerville.
“This is a unique offering to donors, and one which will add to the significance
of personal giving. Tactical Philanthropy Advisors will give Philanthropic
Ventures Foundation a national audience for its brand of creative philanthropy
while at the same time committing itself to the growth of the Foundation and
allowing it to broaden the services it offers.”

 The financial crisis has forced wealthy families to ensure
that their financial plans are in order. Major donors are undergoing the same
sort of reassessment of their giving plans. “Major donors already seek out
professional advisors to help them with their financial accounts, their tax
planning, their business planning and legal issues,” said Mr. Stannard-Stockton.
“We offer a similar advisory role for donors who do not want to ‘outsource’
their giving, but want to maximize the impact of their giving by working with an
expert advisor who acts as a guide to the field of philanthropy.”

 About Sean Stannard-Stockton

Sean Stannard-Stockton is CEO of Tactical Philanthropy Advisors,
a philanthropy advisory firm that serves individual and family philanthropists.
Sean is the author of the Tactical Philanthropy blog, writes a monthly column
for the Chronicle of Philanthropy and is a former columnist for the Financial
Times. He is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Council on Philanthropy
& Social Investing and has been quoted or referenced in The New York Times,
Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Financial Times and many other media
outlets. Prior to founding Tactical Philanthropy Advisors, Mr. Stannard-Stockton
co-founded Ensemble Capital Management, a wealth management company focused
specifically on serving the needs of philanthropic individuals and
families.

 Journalists and bloggers interested in more information
should contact Tactical Philanthropy Advisors at 888-521-2555 or 650-581-2180,
by email at press@tacticalphilanthropy.com
or visit the Tactical Philanthropy Advisors website: http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/