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ABSTRACT The giving journeys of individuals, relating to their life stories and life places, have been positioned in the literature as romanticized versions of self. This research adopts a theory of philanthropic identity narratives using a journey metaphor, and explores the role and journeys associated with establishing a giving structure in the form of a private foundation. Findings from interviews with managers and trustees of private philanthropic foundations undertaken in two phases, 7 years apart, show that establishing a foundation shifts the emphasis of a giving journey from being individual‐focused to philanthropy‐focused, facilitating a legacy of giving rather than self. This paper contributes to theoretical and practical understandings of philanthropic journeys by adding a foundation lens, highlighting the shift in emphasis between identity and action, where establishing a giving structure is less about an individual founder's identity and more about focused philanthropic activity, irrespective of what that particular focus may be.
Williamson et al. (Mon,) studied this question.