Deb Dubin – Chief Philanthropy Officer
#GivingTuesday is around the corner, drawing our attention to the power and promise of philanthropy.
Giving Tuesday, held this year on November 29, 2022, is a global movement that “unleashes the power of radical acts of generosity.” Created in 2012 as a one-day event to encourage charitable giving, a decade later it has morphed into a movement that encourages year-round generous acts. Meanwhile, the 24-hour November event packs a punch: last year on Giving Tuesday, more than $2.7 billion was raised in the United States, along with significant in-kind donations and the combined clout of more than 9.7 million volunteers.
On Giving Tuesday, donors are encouraged to visit the nonprofit(s) of their choice and make an online donation directly—the Giving Tuesday organization doesn’t serve as an intermediary or get a cut of the proceeds.
Giving Tuesday can spark initial donor interest in new areas; with all the attendant publicity focusing on nonprofits that serve our communities, it’s also a great time for people to contemplate their philanthropic strategies. A similar boost comes from regional giving days, like the St. Louis Community Foundation’s annual GiveSTL day in May, which provides a portal for directing gifts to a thousand local organizations.
We think that there is nothing better than simple generosity, and the nonprofits certainly need and welcome those unencumbered, tax-deductible dollars that fly in during a 24-hour publicity push. So, entertain the option of giving in abundance.
And (there is always an “and”): how can we move our philanthropy from transactional, one-day gifts to transformational partnerships? Consider opportunities to engage all year round, in ways that may allow you to create a deeper, trust-based relationship with the nonprofits you care about. Time, talent, and treasure are all ways to foster positive change, throughout the year.
We’ve leaned into this through our practices at Moneta. The Moneta Charitable Foundation, focusing primarily on financial literacy and economic access, recognizes the importance of moving beyond a monetary commitment to support long-term positive outcomes.
Our team members volunteer in classrooms and partner with nonprofits that teach healthy money habits, supporting practices that will last a lifetime. In addition to multiple opportunities for a wide range of group service projects across the firm, Moneta provides every employee with eight hours of “Volunteer Time Off” annually and encourages team members to find ways to engage that are meaningful to them. Last year, our employees volunteered more than 1,300 hours for area nonprofits, providing support and building relationships.
Moving your philanthropy from solely transactional to wholly transformational means pondering not just how much to give once a year. It’s being thoughtful about all the ways you can promote positive change and working closely with our nonprofit partners to get there, all year round.
Let us know if Moneta can help.
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