What is Giving Compass?
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Giving Compass' Take:
• Here is a checklist from GlobalGiving's Smart Giving Guide that encourages donors to give with impact and explains how to do so.
• Are you already practicing some of the steps on the checklist? What does 'giving with impact' mean to you?
• Learn more about impact giving from the Center for Effective Philanthropy Magazine.
You don’t need to be a millionaire to become a philanthropist. Simply put, a philanthropist is someone who promotes the welfare of others, most commonly through charitable giving to nonprofits. Whether you donate $10 or $10,000, if you follow the seven steps of our giving checklist, your results will be stronger and longer-lasting.
- Determine what causes to support.
The first step is figuring out, “What do I care about the most?” - Focus your efforts.
There are millions of wonderful nonprofits around the world, but you can’t support them all. If you would like to make a deeper impact, consider giving larger amounts to a handful of organizations you trust. - Do some research.
If you are having a tough time developing your own portfolio of trusted nonprofits, a little research might help you determine how to proceed. - Budget your giving.
When creating your giving budget, think through how much you might like to donate in the coming year. - Give consistently.
Becoming a recurring donor means that the nonprofit you support can rely on your contributions month after month or year after year and make more strategic decisions about its future. - Consider how you can add value in other ways.
You might be able to help by volunteering your time and skills or even becoming a board member. - Don’t get tripped up by charitable giving myths.
An important part of becoming an impactful philanthropist is separating charitable giving myths—like the idea that you can judge the impact of a nonprofit by the amount it spends on overhead—from reality.
Read the full article on the impact philanthropist checklist by GlobalGiving. Access the complete Smart Giving 101 guide here.