What should you consider before making a philanthropic gift?

What problem keeps you awake at night? What could you contribute to help change it? Equally, what brings you joy? If climate change makes you angry and you love going to the theatre, choose an environment charity and an arts charity to support with your philanthropy.

What is your motivation? Are you giving because it's something you truly believe or for your name on the wall? There's no right or wrong answer, but there is a right or wrong place to give, depending on your motivations. For me, I give to all charities I have worked for because, as a fundraiser, how can you ask if you haven't given yourself?

Being philanthropic--as opposed to simply making a charitable gift--is a personal expression of who you are and the place you want to have in the world. It's a decision totally up to you. There are lots of voices in the world that would attempt to influence you. Ignore them. It's about your heart.

There are so many options to choose from while making a gift. Here are some questions you can consider - Would you like to give with a collection of like-minded folks through a pooled fund or DAF? - Would you like to give to just one organization or many? - Do you have an idea what you'd like to do after you give? If you are making a philanthropic gift for the first time you might want to consider joining a local organization that brings together like-minded folks to educate them about the social sector - Social Venture Partners is one such organization.

Recently, I wrote an article that garnered significant attention, in which I addressed the impact of vanity on donation decisions. The point was to draw attention to initiatives in need of donations, which often lack visibility compared to others with media access. The easiest route would be to associate the donor company's name with a well-known initiative. However, it's necessary to create tools that enable these smaller groups to access donations. To achieve this, it's essential to review certain mechanisms without compromising transparency or donor governance. Additionally, it's crucial to promote support for these invisible initiatives so they can organize themselves to meet the accountability requirements of donors.

Transparency is perhaps the most important word when it comes to donations. Everything related to the process must be measurable and verifiable, under penalty of compromising good deeds. Therefore, communication with the beneficiary should be governed by clear rules, establishing commitments and limits. Similarly, internal communication with the board, investors, and other stakeholders should be objective and supported by information that can be verified afterwards.

“Do one thing every day that scares you. Those small things that make us uncomfortable help us build the courage to do the work we do.” That quote from Eleanor Roosevelt sums it up for me. Never say never, try what you thought you wouldn't like, give something a second chance, and take risks because if you fail or succeed, you learn and grow non less.

Donors have the opportunity to think strategically about how their interests, values, and ways of engaging align with the organization(s) they want to support. The best way to ensure this alignment is to be a deep listener who is clear on their expectations upfront. Doing so will reduce the frustrations that come with misaligned giving.

Personally, I believe that philanthropy should be associated with selflessness, but I understand that companies need to cultivate an image with consumers and investors, and for that reason, publicity is part of that process. There is another aspect to publicity, which is the encouragement through example, inspiring other companies to contribute to reducing the needs of vulnerable groups, which is positive. Therefore, strive to stand out by doing something different, identifying causes that are not always in the spotlight of the mainstream media. In this way, I believe the impact of the example will be even greater!