Recently , “ woke philanthropy ” has become another economic weapon in the culture wars . Activists want to tell you not only how to make your money , but how to give it away , too .

Major foundations and other nonprofits have shifted their missions based not on what their founders desired to do with their money after they were gone , but upon the social and cultural whims of the day . For the donors still in control and resolute in their beliefs that run counter to pop culture , many face intimidation and “ donor shaming ,” or even violence , if they don ’ t stop giving to organizations that these activists deem unworthy .

The Sportsmen ’ s Alliance Foundation is not immune to the effects of this ideology and its impact on our ability to raise funds needed to accomplish our mission . In recent years , we have seen many private family foundations move away from their original purpose as new generations of family members take the reins .

If guiding principles are not clearly outlined in the by-laws of a foundation , the original creators ’ intent for the foundation may very well change once they pass away . In one such example of a foundation with which we are very familiar , the original donors who established their family foundation were active hunters and anglers who intended to leave a legacy for future outdoorsmen . However , their years of careful financial planning has been flipped on its head and the current foundation giving does not reflect the donors ’ original intent .

This is not a unique situation . It ’ s one repeated across the country by countless foundations as children , grandchildren and great-grandchildren bring new visions

for generational wealth . This agenda of identity politics and woke ideology is pervasive from the biggest foundations to the smallest nonprofits . The good news , though , is that in a world where impact matters , these philosophies are so divorced from reality that they will , hopefully , be forced to shift back to reality .

Until then , we are all at risk of being called out for our sincerely held beliefs and Constitutional right to life , liberty and pursuit of happiness . The protection of your right to hunt , fish and trap is our passion . We will not be canceled . We will not be silenced . As many funders shift with the winds of culture , we know that you , our base of support , will continue to support our mission to protect scientific wildlife management and your way of life .

If you ’ d like to discuss making a gift through your business , estate , private foundation or individually , please reach out to Aaron Carmichael at acarmichael @ sportsmensalliance . org or his direct line at 317-910-1966 .

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