We recognize that charitable giving is an important and significant investment for many of our clients. We strive to provide both wisdom and resources to help them better navigate the current, often overwhelming, nonprofit landscape. To that end, we humbly present you with our 5 Steps to More Meaningful Giving:
Give Purely
The reasons for giving should be pure, stemming from a heart of gratitude that yearns to make a positive impact in the world. People sometimes give out of habit, guilt, persuasion or the simple fear of saying no. Evaluating the “why” behind your giving makes it more meaningful.
Give Strategically
Many donors write checks when they make a donation instead of exploring non-cash assets such as appreciated securities, real estate, or business gifts. Giving such complex gifts can both maximize your impact and reduce your tax burden.
Give Passionately
Every person has unique passions and tender places that drive the desire to help others and advance causes. Identifying what breaks your heart and letting this inform your giving decisions is a vital connection that also makes your giving more meaningful.
Give Confidently
Every philanthropic donation carries with it the expectation that the recipient will use the gifted resources wisely and efficiently. Good stewardship within the current nonprofit landscape requires vetting and evaluating nonprofits to ensure donors are maximizing their philanthropic ROI.
Give Joyfully
Every gift should be celebrated in some way. Seek ways to connect with those who personally benefited from your gift. This is what creates the joy of giving and completes the circle of philanthropy that spurs us toward ongoing and greater generosity.
Seeking affirmation for our 5 Step Program, we turned to Todd Harper, Co-Founder of Generous Giving. For over 18 years, Generous Giving’s mission has been to spread the message of generosity in order to grow generous givers among those entrusted with much. Todd’s work on both sides of the philanthropic divide has made him a trusted source of wisdom for individuals and couples desiring to be good stewards. Through annual celebrations and community-based small gatherings called JOGs (Journeys of Generosity), Generous Giving aims to “pour gasoline on the fire that is already present in the hearts of generous donors.”
“I really like the model you have here and think all 5 categories are relevant. I affirm your model.” As a former investment manager, Todd also noted “People are often responding to opportunities to give instead of being proactive. They also tend to be more intentional and thoughtful about their investment allocations than they are about their giving allocations.”
Having received Todd’s gracious stamp of approval for our 5 steps, we moved on to chat a bit about the inspiration for his book entitled Abundant. “There are two types of people I’ve never met,” offered Todd, “An unhappy generous person and a former giver.” He went on to share stories of wealthy people he’s worked with that have come to realize that wealth only brings joy when coupled with generosity. In his book he writes, “This book is about how to experience the abundant life by engaging in conversations with others like yourself. How to ensure your life is as abundant as your net worth.”
At Archetype, our mission is to help families thrive over generations. At Generous Giving, their desire is to serve those entrusted with wealth by convening peers to discuss and inspire the generous life. Similar passions have made us allies in service toward a population of people who have been given much and seek guidance on how to be good stewards.
Sources:
- Houston Eventbrite website: https://www.eventbrite.com/d/tx--houston/charity-events/
- Generous Giving Website: https://generousgiving.org/
- Abundant, by Todd Harper.
