Some may remember the first lesson of algebra, termed solving for x. X might seem unknowable at first, but solving for x, in the context of an architecture firm like mine means gathering the right evidence through listening and observing, which—as it happens—is among the first lessons of architecture school.

Listening to and observing the needs of your community is also one of the first steps taken by a philanthropic foundation in order to have the greatest impact. One of the ways we try to have an impact on the communities in which MG2 operates is through our MG2 Foundation. For us, purposeful philanthropy is based on the social issues, community challenges, and personal passions that our people prioritize. MG2 Foundation initiatives represent an investment not only in what our company stands for but also in our core identity.

Find your philanthropic focus

Investing in programs that are fundamentally about the future informs our philanthropic focus. We support the growth of individuals who will have a positive impact in our community through endowing architecture schools so they can provide best-in-class training, especially in underserved communities. Solving for x here is about broadening the sphere of opportunity, and thereby enriching the practice of architecture and the communities in which all of us live and work.

​​Who is solving for x? Our people are. Firmwide, we encourage our employees to promote initiatives that address a newly discovered need. MG2 is not just willing to give back to the community but has done so measurably and meaningfully. Our Day of Giving volunteer missions engaged with 11 organizations last year—totaling hundreds of hours of commitment to fight hunger, improve literacy, repair dilapidated community amenities, and address other community—level gaps that, once closed, will help countless people in Seattle, Minneapolis, New York, Washington, D.C., and beyond.

For more than 20 years, we’ve also hosted Swing for the Cure, a charity golf tournament to raise funds for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, a nationally recognized healing center based here in Seattle. Breast cancer is a cause that affected my predecessor and his family, and as a firm we proudly continue to fight this dreaded disease. Working with no fewer than 144 partners and 46 MG2 volunteers, we raised $176,000 in the last cycle and, to date, over $2 million to fight breast cancer research and treatment.

Solving for x is part of our daily equation, but it’s just the start. Our job, as architects, is always to achieve a solution centered on positive change, not just identify the solution and merely aspire to it. We owe it to the communities we call home to make it a better place for everyone, and we can’t rest until we put that daily equation into action.

Mitch Smith, AIA is CEO and chairman of the global architecture and design firm MG2.