Philanthropy is often treated as something that happens after a business transaction. A deal closes, liquidity is realized, and charitable giving follows as a separate act. In many cases, this sequence feels intuitive. The transaction creates capacity, and giving becomes a response.
What is frequently overlooked is that philanthropy can play a meaningful role within the transaction itself, shaping outcomes rather than reacting to them. This perspective is central to how Parkhill approaches charitable strategy in complex business events. When charitable intent is considered early, it can influence structure, timing, and efficiency in ways that benefit both the business owner and the causes they care about.
This is not about generosity alone. It is about design.
Why Philanthropy Is Usually Left Out of Deal Planning
Business transactions are complex and fast moving. Attention is focused on valuation, negotiations, legal terms, and closing logistics. Charitable considerations are often seen as personal decisions best handled later, once the deal is complete and pressure has eased.
This separation is reinforced by how transaction work is typically segmented. Execution is prioritized. Tax reporting follows. Philanthropy, if discussed at all, appears near year end or in response to a spike in income.
Parkhill sees the cost of this separation regularly. When charitable strategy is postponed, it loses the ability to interact meaningfully with the transaction itself. What could have been structural becomes reactive.
The Cost of Treating Giving as an Afterthought
When philanthropy is introduced after a transaction has closed, flexibility is limited. The form and timing of income have already been determined. Ownership interests have been transferred. Options that may have existed earlier are no longer available.
This does not mean giving cannot be effective. It means it is often less efficient and less aligned than it could have been.
Mark Bianchi, Parkhill’s founder and CEO, has spent years working with business owners who only discovered after the fact that their charitable intent could have been integrated far more effectively. The missed opportunity is rarely obvious in the moment. It becomes clear later, when the structure is fixed and alternatives are no longer available.
Philanthropy as a Structural Consideration
When charitable intent is identified before or during a transaction, it can be incorporated into the overall design. This allows giving to interact thoughtfully with how value is transferred, how income is recognized, and how proceeds are deployed.
Rather than viewing philanthropy as a response to success, it becomes part of the architecture that shapes success.
Parkhill emphasizes that this approach does not require compromising deal objectives. It requires clarity early enough for charitable considerations to inform structure, rather than being constrained by it.
Timing and Alignment
Timing is one of the most powerful levers in business transactions, and it applies equally to charitable planning. The point at which giving occurs can materially affect both tax outcomes and long-term impact.
Aligning charitable intent with transaction timing allows decisions to reinforce one another rather than operate independently. This alignment is not accidental. It is the result of sequencing decisions intentionally rather than defaulting to convenience.
When timing is ignored, philanthropy often becomes disconnected from the broader strategy, reducing both its effectiveness and its durability.
Moving Beyond Symbolic Giving
High profile transactions often attract public attention, and philanthropy can become symbolic. Donations are made to mark the moment or to signal values.
While symbolic giving has its place, it does not replace thoughtful design. Philanthropy that is integrated into transaction planning tends to be quieter but more durable. It focuses on outcomes rather than visibility and is structured to function well long after the deal fades from memory.
This distinction is especially important for business owners who want their giving to reflect intention rather than impulse.
Charitable Strategy and Long-Term Impact
Transactions are moments. Charitable impact unfolds over years.
When philanthropy is integrated into business transactions, it creates continuity between the liquidity event and what follows. Giving becomes part of a longer arc rather than a one-time response.
Parkhill approaches charitable planning with this continuity in mind, ensuring that philanthropic decisions made around a transaction remain aligned with long-term objectives and evolving circumstances.
Coordination Across Disciplines
Integrating philanthropy into business transactions requires coordination. Legal, tax, and charitable considerations must be evaluated together rather than in isolation.
Without coordination, decisions that make sense in one area may limit options in another. With coordination, philanthropy becomes a lever that complements rather than complicates the transaction.
Mark Bianchi emphasizes internally that charitable planning works best when it is treated as a structural element, not a post-closing conversation. That coordination is what allows giving to strengthen, rather than fragment, the overall strategy.
A Different Way to Think About Giving
The overlooked role of philanthropy in business transactions is not about doing more. It is about thinking differently.
When charitable intent is acknowledged early, it can shape outcomes rather than react to them. It can support causes that matter while interacting intelligently with tax and structural considerations.
Business transactions are defining moments. How philanthropy is integrated into them influences not only tax outcomes, but the long-term effectiveness of giving itself.
