Partner Article

Giving with a Purpose

We have always thought that giving is an easy thing to do as long as we have something to give. It is easy enough to give something to any charity. Or is it?

IAM Group Limited, a loose Christian group dedicated to bridging the gap between volunteers, donors and charity institutes have been put in the same dilemma when the organization is still starting to find its partners.

What we have learned in all the years working with different non-profit groups have given us some guidelines on how we approach the real sense of the word giving. Here are some of the things that helped us decide, and hopefully, you it can help you too:

1. Relevance

Objectivity and subjectivity are always issues on our decisions. Many people say we have to separate one from the other but more often than not, we can never tear each other apart, even when we are the most rational and practical people on earth.

Moreover, we tend to care more on things that we can relate to. The more we care about the cause, the more we can sustain the charitable work. IAM Group Ltd reminds you to ask yourself questions:

• How does your sense of community factor into your giving? • Are there organizations or institutions you feel an obligation to support because of your personal affiliation or use of their services, such as your alma mater? • Where do you want to make a difference? Locally, nationally or internationally? • Are there specific problems or issues you feel compelled to help address, such as education, health, hunger or the environment? Is it an anti-sex trafficking propaganda in Yokohama, Japan or is anti-child labour in Ghana, Africa? • Do you prefer to address persistent needs like homelessness or those that arise unexpectedly, like humanitarian crises and natural disasters?

2. Impact

What kind of impact are you targeting? Something which is recognizable or are you going for a more discreet approach?

In addition to money, there are many different ways you can help. For example, you can dedicate time, professional skills or outreach to your social networks. When you’re considering a gift, review first the choices, ’Is a cash gift to the organization an effective way for me to make a difference, and second, what else in my toolkit can I use to increase my impact?

If you’re deciding between two organizations that address the same issue, keep in mind that one may serve more clients, but the other might have a longer-lasting impact on fewer people. And please always remember that not all charity works are legit. There are also fraudulent ones which promise great deals in the air.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Rican Johnson .