There is a movement afoot of funders and philanthropists who want to make more progress on issues and in communities. Some are challenging themselves to be more focused, others are changing their practices to give longer-term and with fewer restrictions, and others still are discovering new resources and tools such as impact investing.

Jeff and Tricia Raikes had access to great networks and learning opportunities as they dug in on their own philanthropy. They want to help other donors connect with high quality resources, tools, and role models to guide their personal philanthropy. It just makes sense - if they can help others get farther faster, all of our communities will get stronger sooner.

An important part of an ambition like that is to have some guiding principles, a North Star, if you will. Because others also cared about connecting donors to impact, the Raikes joined with a group of donors, foundations, and donor-serving organizations to develop the Impact-Giving Principles and Practices.

Become an Impact Giver

One of the first things we invested in to support our aspiration is www.givingcompass.org. We all know giving with impact can be difficult. There is a sea of research online, and so many causes to address. It can be frustrating and time-consuming to find the right information to make effective giving decisions. Simply put, Giving Compass organizes the world’s information to make it easier to give well.

We hope Giving Compass and these Impact-Giving principles can be a resource for those who strive to give with intention and impact. Regardless of what your passion is or where your giving is focused, if we are guided by these principles we can all connect our generosity to more good on the ground and in communities. And isn’t that why we give in the first place?

Original contribution by Stephanie Fuerstner-Gillis, the Senior Advisor for the Impact-Driven Philanthropy Initiative at the Raikes Foundation.