What Our Logo Means

Philanthropy comes from the ancient Greek word “philanthropia” (meaning love of humanity) formed from the root words “philia-” (meaning the highest form of love, fond of) and “anthropos” (meaning humankind, mankind). It original described wonderful human beings who loved selflessly. Philanthropy by 1600 focused on habitual goodness and virtue. Most charitable endeavors were overseen by the local parish and were funded as wealth left with instructions in wills. The Church in Europe managed many of these charitable investments forming churches, schools, orphanages, cathedrals, and convents to attend to the needs of parishioners. The idea of giving during one’s lifetime arose in the late 1700s. Capitalist and aristocrats saw establishing and contributing to local charities as a responsibility of their wealth and high rank. Giving money to charitable causes became a middle class conviction by the mid 1800s —- about the same time George Williams founded the YMCA on the streets of London to give young men a place to gather after moving to the city for industrial work.

Using the Greek Letter “Phi” in our logo background, we acknowledge the correct spelling of the word philanthropy. A quick search of available websites did not allow for Philanthropy to be used in a simple website address. All the domains were taken. So we experimented with a phonetic twist on the word and a play on the young attraction to emphasizing the sound of a word over its dictionary spelling. Once upon a time only the unimaginative spelled the same word the same way twice. It is a playful reminder that philanthropy may be the active undertaking of the mature generation today but the youth among us will be the stewards of philanthropy in the future.

Intentional Charity summarizes the work we help our clients do. Giving funds to a good cause is an act of generosity. Creating a plan to expand a donation to a make a transformative impact takes intent. Writing a check can make a difference. Orchestrating change makes your corner of the the world different. We wanted to convey in our logo the simplicity of our approach to philanthropic consulting. Black, white and grayscale make our logo visible but not attention grabbing. We approach our work the same way. We come alongside our clients to support their work. If no one else knows we were there to help you, we are fine with that. The attention should be focused on the cause and your dedication to seeing its impact sustained in your community.