Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short by Glen Galaich (Wiley, 2026)

The following foreword was written by Katherine Lorenz, President of the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, for Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short by Glen Galaich (Wiley, March 2026).

I first met Glen Galaich more than a decade ago, when we were both working for The Philanthropy Workshop. From the beginning, I admired his sharp analysis, his curiosity, and his deep commitment to making philanthropy more effective. Glen has always had a learning mindset — willing to admit when he was wrong, not set in his ways, always listening. That courage, and his willingness to interrogate both the sector and himself, is what makes him the right person to write this book.

Philanthropy is an ever-evolving field. On the one hand, the United States is extraordinarily generous. We give more, both in absolute dollars and as a percentage of GDP, than any other country in the world. Giving is woven into our culture, a norm passed down through generations. Other societies often look to us and learn from our philanthropic practices. Yet while generosity is a wonderful first step, it is not enough. Giving money away is easy; creating lasting social impact is hard. What we need in this next chapter of philanthropy is not just generosity, but generosity paired with humility, learning, and the courage to do things differently.

This shift is especially urgent as we face the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history. Younger philanthropists are already questioning the traditional foundation model their parents and grandparents built. They're asking why community voices aren't at the decision-making table, why perpetuity matters more than urgency, and why 'best practices' often preserve donor control rather than maximize impact. They intuitively understand what Glen articulates in this book: that clinging to control ultimately undermines impact. These next-generation donors don't just want to give differently—they want to fundamentally reimagine the power dynamics of philanthropy.

It is now expected that the ultra-wealthy should be philanthropic. The Giving Pledge has helped reinforce that expectation. The U.S. also has the most developed nonprofit and philanthropic sector in the world. Donors have access to more information than ever before about how to create systemic change, how to measure impact, and how to build robust organizations. And yet, the culture and policies of philanthropy too often pull us back toward old habits — placing donors at the center, rather than the missions and communities we seek to serve.

That is what Control shines a spotlight on. Glen names, clearly and starkly, the ways in which donors — often unknowingly — put themselves at the center of their giving. For decades, this has been the cultural norm, the policy norm, even considered “best practice.” Much of what Glen writes rings true. And much of what he prescribes is in stark contrast to how the field has long operated. His recommendations are bold, forward-thinking, and rooted in learning from past mistakes. They point us in the direction the sector must move, even though cultural and policy shifts inevitably lag.

Of course, philanthropy is never as simple or binary as control versus trust. The work lives in tension and nuance. Many philanthropists do learn these lessons over time, improving with experience. But too many do not. The challenge before us is how to make these practices the norm, not the exception.

When Glen and I taught together, we used Giving Done Right as one of our handbooks. As Glen points out, a decade later, the same authors admitted they had gotten much of it wrong and revised their own conclusions. That is the nature of philanthropy. We are always learning and unlearning. Trying something new, learning from it, and evolving as necessary. What seems like best practice today may need to be rethought tomorrow. This book represents lessons from Glen’s journey and from the broader evolution of the field. It is bold and pushes us in the right direction. Future philanthropists will learn from these ideas, put them into practice, and then update and correct them. That is how the field evolves, and that is as it should be.

Too often, however, donor education is treated as optional. I believe it is essential. Just as we would never expect someone to run a business without training or experience, we should not expect people to steward philanthropic capital without preparation.

In my years working with donors, I’ve seen how structured education transforms practice. Donors become less defensive, more open to feedback, more thoughtful about power, more willing to trust grantees. They become more humble as they see firsthand how hard it is to make social change—and as they realize they don’t have all the answers. Unfortunately, those who commit to this kind of learning remain the minority. If we are to truly shift philanthropy, we must normalize the idea that giving well is a discipline — one that requires time, humility, and energy. The first step is committing the funds; the second is committing to giving them away effectively, pulling ourselves from the center and placing the mission at the heart of the work.

That is the cultural shift Glen’s book advances. He pushes us to question assumptions, to release control, and to understand that, once we give money away, it is no longer ours. Effective philanthropy requires centering the voices of those closest to the problems, dedicating ourselves to learning, and grappling with the systemic incentives — including those embedded in our tax code — that often undermine impact. Real change requires both personal humility and structural reform.

Glen’s arguments are clear and provocative. Some readers may feel uncomfortable. That is good. Discomfort is part of growth. I encourage readers — especially those who steward significant wealth — to resist defensiveness and instead approach this book with openness. Use it as a mirror. Ask yourself hard questions. Reflect on where you may still be clinging to control and where you might instead lean into trust.

Ultimately, philanthropy is about partnership. Donors, grantees, and communities must lock arms in pursuit of shared goals. This book illuminates a path toward a philanthropy that is more ethical, more community-engaged, and more impactful. It is not the final word, nor should it be. It is an invitation to evolve.

So, as you turn the page, I invite you to read not just with your mind but with your heart. Allow yourself to be challenged. Allow yourself to feel the tension between control and trust, between clarity and complexity. Let that tension guide you toward a deeper practice. If we can pair our generosity with humility, and our giving with learning, philanthropy can indeed be a powerful force for change.

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Katherine Lorenz is president of the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, leader of the Giving Pledge Next Gen initiative, vice chair of Environmental Defense Fund, and an inaugural TIME 100 Philanthropy honoree. She is available for background or on-the-record interviews. Media inquiries: Brett Holmes, bholmes@cgmf.org, (713) 244-4178