When Philanthropy is a Family Tradition: A Third-Generation Voice

For as long as I can remember, I have been surrounded by a family focused on making the world around them a better place. Whether this is carried out through volunteering wherever possible or through philanthropic efforts, my family always does the best they can do. 

David F. Bolger, founder of The Bolger Foundation, and his oldest grandchild, AJ Bolger, circa 2000. AJ currently serves as an associate trustee on The Bolger Foundation’s Board of Trustees and is the author of this blog post.

My grandfather David F. Bolger was a great man who started an awesome foundation with a simple goal in mind: giving back to the community around him. I can remember throughout my childhood going to see buildings funded by The Bolger Foundation, watching them being built from the ground up or renovated over time to bring them back to life. I would visit projects with my grandfather and father and be amazed at what the foundation’s donations and their guidance had helped create. 

Under the watchful eye of my grandfather and then my father, these financial contributions set a precedent that came to define The Bolger Foundation’s mission, which today is carried out by a second-generation Board of Trustees that includes my father, JT Bolger, and his two siblings, my Uncle John and Aunt Betsie. 

I was honored to be asked to come on the board as an associate trustee. Learning about the ins and outs of the foundation and how it’s run is extremely interesting to me, and I also enjoy learning about the projects that we will have a part in.  

One of the most interesting aspects of the foundation that I have worked on is advancing our application process into the 21st century. While the foundation is still about people and personal contact, having a website* with an online application process makes it even easier for the foundation to hear from nonprofit organizations in need of funding.  

The online application process also helps the organizations to make sure they are using their time wisely by applying to The Bolger Foundation. 

The ability to keep the lifelong work of my grandfather alive and to put a modern twist on it under the direction of the new board means the world to me. I am very excited to be a part of the next era of The Bolger Foundation and look forward to helping all of those we can.

*Editor’s note: Only one in ten U.S. foundations has a website. Next month, we’ll look at the reasons your foundation should be among those that do.

AJ Bolger is David F. Bolger’s oldest grandchild. He graduated from Mount St. Mary College in 2021 with a major in Criminology and a minor in History. AJ currently serves as an associate trustee of The Bolger Foundation, making him the first third-generation family member to be on the Board of Trustees.