Christopher G. Oechsli: Cut Million $ Checks

Posted by admin on Saturday, January 28, 2017

Christopher G. Oechsli Money Quote saying as chief executive of Atlantic Philanthropies that it’s hard work to give away large amounts of money responsibly. Christopher G. Oechsli said:
 

 

“I wake up some mornings and think it would be nice to cut 10 checks and be done with it, but that’s not the best use of money. We have hundreds of millions of dollars to try to make a difference. You need to think really hard about doing it” — Christopher G. Oechsli

 

 

In this quote, Christopher G. Oechsli seems to be discussing philanthropic giving as the head of a large foundation or nonprofit. When he says “it would be nice to cut 10 checks and be done with it”, he’s referring to simply distributing their vast funds ($100s of millions) to a small number of causes. However, he acknowledges “that’s not the best use of money” and it’s important to “think really hard about doing it” in order to make the most meaningful impact.

The best interpretation is that Oechsli believes large donors have a responsibility to strategically allocate substantial resources, not just write a few big checks, to carefully address the root of societal problems and “try to make a difference” on a broader scale. The quote conveys his view that maximizing charitable aid requires thorough evaluation and planning over quick actions.