Return To Programs Page      eClub One - Archive Articles List
 

We hope you enjoy the programs at eClub One

Column 11

Daily Camera

Enid Ablowitz

“To Thine Own Self Be True”

While this familiar quote was written in a different context, it certainly applies to philanthropy.  Giving should be joyful and satisfying.  And, it should be consistent with your personal values.

There are those who feel that giving must be anonymous and selfless.  Others want to feel the human bond of a relationship with the recipient.  And some donors are changing the face of philanthropy by treating gifts as investments, looking for measurable impact and accountability.

In my view, all kinds of philanthropy involve passion and planning. But if you haven’t yet felt the passion, where do you begin?  If you haven’t thought about giving, what’s the first step?

You have to know yourself to be true to yourself.  Think of an event, or a place, or a person, or a situation that changed your life.  Think of what matters to you, beyond your own personal security and beyond your immediate circle of family and friends.  What makes you laugh?  What makes you cry? What defines you? What touches your soul?  What do you care enough about to take action?  Answering these questions can unlock your philanthropic potential. 

Once you have looked inward, you are ready to plan.  You can translate that passion into thoughtful analysis to narrow your field of interest. Here are some factors to consider:

First, what is the breadth of your concern?  Do you want to make a difference internationally?  Nationally?  Regionally? Locally? Do you want to impact groups or one person at a time?

Next, think topically.  Do you want to affect education?  Health? The arts? The environment? Social Services? Peace?  (You can list many other areas, I’m sure.)

Then, consider the mechanism for impact. Do you want to provide direct service delivery?  Do you want to influence policy?  Do you want to build capacity or infrastructure?

The amount of the gift you want to make can affect your choices and may change over time, but a gift of any size can be given to organizations that share your passion.  There is a difference, of course, between building a library and buying a book, but both can change lives.  Where you make that gift can depend on such things as your world-view, nostalgia for a place that meant something to you in your past, or a sense of participating in your home community. 

Here’s an example of giving with passion and planning:  A young woman received an inheritance from her father’s estate.  It was a significant sum of money, and she decided she wanted to do something worthwhile, in memory of her father.  But what?  Lots of folks had ideas for her, but nothing seemed quite right.  As she was going through some old family photographs, she found one of the two of them at the annual father and daughter dance, sponsored by her Girl Scouts troop.  That night, she and her dad had never felt closer. It was one of her most precious memories of spending time with him.  She sent $10,000 to her hometown council, with a note saying she wanted to create an endowment fund in his memory to perpetually sponsor the dance. 

Many of us fall into the trap of reactive giving.  We are solicited, and we respond, and even when we say yes, we don’t always feel as good about our giving as we could.  It is easier to just agree based on a vague sense that the charity or cause is familiar. It is harder but far more satisfying to find your passion, then find the right organization, or the right purpose within an organization to support.

Take the time to make your giving “true.” 

Send your questions about making charitable gifts to Enid Ablowitz, Features, Daily Camera, 1048 Pearl St., Boulder, 80302 or e-mail???/Fax????

Ablowitz, the Asst. Dean for Advancement at CU’s College of Engineering is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and has been working with donors for over a decade.  She is writing a book called Making Money Matter: 8 Steps to Thoughtful Giving.

Now that you have completed this program, you have these options

To do BOTH use the Critique E-mail first, then return and click on the Make-Up Request Form

The content of programs appearing on the eClub One Make-Up website are the opinions of the authors and may or may not be shared by members of Rotary eClub One. These programs are presented by Rotary eClub One for use by site visitors, just as any program that might be presented at a Rotary meeting anywhere in the world.

© 2007 eClub One District 5450
Solution Services Inc