Tis the season of giving, and as we approach the holidays, many of us are planning our year-end giving in the form of donations to the nonprofits and charities we support.
Many nonprofits live or die by their year-end fundraising, so if there is a cause you believe in, now is the time to help out. Whether charitable holiday giving is a well-established tradition or it’s your first time, here are 5 ways to make your year-end giving a little more creative and, hopefully, more impactful:
1. Give Others The Chance To Contribute
When most of us give at the end of the year, we do so as individuals. This year, why not get your friends involved?
Not only will you be able to make a bigger impact by giving a large donation, but you will also give your friends the chance to help out as well. A lot of people might like to give to nonprofits but don’t know how to get started, and as a result, take no action at all. By taking care of that for them, you make it much easier for them to get involved so they can also feel good about doing something more this season.
That way you can truly give the gift of giving.
To get your friends involved, you can simply do what people have done for ages–ask them directly or set up a giving pool–but consider using an online crowdfunding platform to make your life easier.
2. Give In Others’ Names
A creative way to kill two birds with one stone is to make your gifts to your friends and family in the form of donations in their name.
People love to be recognized, and getting a thank you card from a nonprofit doing something they really care about can have a more lasting impression than a material gift. Who knows, you might inspire your friend to give more throughout the year.
The best way to pull this off is to do it early. That way, you have time to get the thank you note back so you can give it to the person you’d like to honor.
World Bicycle Relief is a great example of an organization that lends itself to this kind of giving. Whenever someone donates enough to fund one bike, which is $147 in someone else’s name, that person receives an email containing a beautiful thank you for being part of their story, and an e-gift card from one of their partners.
If you know someone who cares deeply about a cause but isn’t in a position to do much about it, this is a great way to show them that you care about their priorities. Even if they donate themselves, allying yourself with something they are passionate about sends a powerful message.
3. Make It Easy For Others To Give In Your Name
Sometimes one of the best gifts we can give people is the chance to make us happy. Last year, I asked my family and friends to donate to a few select nonprofits instead of getting me more stuff I didn’t need. When almost all of them presented me with cards of thanks listing donations that had been made in my name totaling several hundred dollars, I was touched knowing that I had really made an impact for some causes I support.
Plus, it made their lives easier because they didn’t have to guess what I wanted.
To make this work, announce early, ideally before the bulk of the shopping has taken place. And make it easy on your friends and family: provide them with only a few, specific options, as well as descriptions of why the cause is important to you and a direct link to the donation page. I sent around an email to my close friends and family.
The last thing anyone wants is to spend their holiday stressing over how to find the nonprofit you mentioned.
4. Bundle Your Gifts And Your Giving
Giving is awesome, but let’s be honest, it’s also nice to get cool stuff this time of year, especially if it is in line with what we really care about. And what better way to know what people care about than the nonprofits they support?
Instead of giving only a donation, or only a material gift, combine the two. There are lots of creative ways to do this.
- Lots of products come with donations built-in when you buy a particular color or model. This lets your gift recipient show off their support. Think pink for breast cancer research or the RED product campaign.
- Some nonprofits provide small gifts in exchange for donations. These are usually just tokens, but many wildlife nonprofits send plush toys that make good gifts for children who love the animals they support.
- Make your own. For example, if you’re shopping for an outdoors person, a donation to a conservation nonprofit along with a piece of their favorite outdoor gear to enjoy the wilderness you are helping conserve can be a great gift. If you really want to make them happy, a trip somewhere your donation is also going would be an awesome treat.
5. Give The Gift Of Your Time
Of course, you don’t have to only give of your money. The end of the year is one of the most active fundraising times in the calendars of most nonprofits, and they can use volunteers to help with those efforts. Consider reaching out to lend your support.
A cousin of my fiancée has missed every family Christmas for the last several years because she spends the holiday volunteering at a soup kitchen. It is one of the most rewarding experiences of her year and it makes a real difference, both for the people she serves and the organization she supports with her time.
You don’t have to go out on a big holiday, though, the entire season is busy. Get some friends together and help out. You’ll create memories to cherish help make someone else’s holiday that much brighter.
If you’d like to assist at a food bank, here’s a site listing food banks in the US.
Otherwise, consider reaching out to your favorite nonprofit to see if you can help them with their year-end fundraising efforts.
