If your mailbox looks anything like mine these days,
bursting with envelopes (and emails) from dozens of charitable organizations,
you know that this is the time of year many nonprofits depend upon for year-end
donations. While we may bemoan the onslaught of solicitations, they are a means
to an important end – without year-end giving, many nonprofits would not be
able to feed the hungry, care for the aged, delight our senses through the
arts, educate our children, defend our rights, or carry out other work that
enriches and inspires us.
1. What
brought you the most joy this year?
2. Can
you choose 2-3 priority areas for your giving this year (e.g. hunger and
homelessness, visual arts, helping the elderly)? That does
not mean that you cannot give to other things, as well. It just means that you
can give most of your donations to these priority causes, and give smaller
amounts to other causes.
3. What
charities did you donate to last year? Did you get updates from those charities
this year? Are they still doing good work?
4. How
do you define your “community”? Is it geographic? Religious? Based on personal
interests or passions? Based on people in your networks? All of the above? Can
you align your giving to support your community/communities, however you define
them?
5. Are
their clothes or household items you can donate this year?
6. What
did you spend on buying coffee this year? (Or ice cream? Or pizza? Or
sandwiches?) Once you come up with a rough estimate of that amount, compare it
to the amount you plan to donate to worthy causes this year.
7. Did
you need help this year? Did any nonprofits provide you (or your friends
or family) with assistance?
8. What
sorts of causes do you want to give to? Basic needs (like food and shelter),
social services (like job training or mental health counseling), the arts, the
environment, education... Do you want to focus on one area or spread your
donations among various causes?
9. Does
your family have a tradition of giving to certain causes? Do you want to start
a tradition?
10. Is there
someone’s memory whom you would like to honor with your charitable giving? How
can you best honor them?
11. Do you
want to pool your donations with friends or family to make a bigger impact?
12. Do you
volunteer somewhere? Would you consider making a donation to the place where
you volunteer?
13. Were there
stories in the news this year that really touched you? Or concerned you? Or
inspired you? Are there charitable causes that are aligned with those stories?
14. Are their
services you use frequently, such as public broadcasting, that rely on donations
to keep doing what they are doing?
15. Was there
a play, a concert, an exhibition, or another cultural experience that lifted
your spirits or made you think this year? Would you consider supporting the
organization or venue that made it happen?
16. If you
have children or grandchildren, can you support an organization that supported
their growth, so that other children can learn and grow, too?
17. Why give?
Of course, there are no right or wrong answers to these
questions – they are simply guidelines to inform your thinking, either now or
year-round. No matter what choices you make, the choice to give is always a
good one, no matter how much (or little) you are able to give. I hope your
giving choices bring joy to you and to others.
