Giving Compass' Take:

• Donors are often inundated with requests from nonprofits during the giving season, but the article suggests that this is a great time to look inward and be purposeful in your giving.

• How do events like Giving Tuesday affect your giving plan, if at all?

• Learn the practices and principles of impact-driven philanthropy.

While Giving Tuesday isn’t necessarily a day for private foundations and high-net-worth individuals to make large, meaningful donations, it can be a good time to reflect on sensible giving practices and the causes they are most passionate about, experts say.

Donations should be planned, purposeful, and consistent with your passions, says Marguerite Griffin, director of philanthropic advisory services at Northern Trust.

“When you feel compelled to give, you should ask yourself where the energy is from,” she says. “Are you doing it because you get too many emails, or it’s something you are passionate about?”

Griffin suggests wealthy donors can take this opportunity to learn about new organizations, while sticking to philanthropic causes they know about.

Lisa Featherngill, head of legacy and wealth planning at Abbot Downing, part of Wells Fargo, agrees. “The first thing is always clarifying your philanthropy—what kind of charity is important to you?” she says.

Read the full article about the giving season by Fang Block at barrons.com.