Philanthropy for Families 101

by Guest Blogger Elise Eplan

Around this festive season, many of us spend an enormous amount of time and money on gifts for our children. Whole days are spent at the mall. Nights grow long wrapping presents. The pealing giggles upon ripping the paper away are reward for the effort.
 
Imagine, for a moment: is there another way to show our children love during this time of year? Teaching them about the generosity of spirit that fills the air is a wonderful gift to share together. This is the ideal season to teach your children that they are never too young to be a philanthropist, and that no gift is ever too small.
 
There are many lessons for the young tucked into the folds of philanthropy. Math skills can be learned through calculating donations, and social science is evident in researching different causes. These lessons can rival the altruistic glow borne of helping others, and the long-term impact is immeasurable.
 
High impact, low cost philanthropy is burgeoning, a new approach that grew more relevant with tough financial times. The idea that anyone can do a great amount of good with a small amount of capital or time has changed the philanthropic playing field. This method of giving can be applied to the grandest of efforts, or the most humble of gestures.
 
To engage your inner Rockefeller with your child, using high impact techniques, here are a few ideas to start:
 

• Identify issues that excite your child. Select a cause (or population) that your child feels passionately about. This is an effective way to ensure active engagement, and perhaps even the sustainability of his or her involvement.
• Find a match-grant. Very often companies will sponsor match-grant opportunities for their employees. Giving your child a chance to donate through you, and doubling his or her efforts, will do twice the good.
• Look into community foundations. If you have trouble choosing a specific cause to give to, research community foundations in your area to make an immediate difference in your own neighborhood. (The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta is part of an association of the more than 700 local community foundations across the country. The national umbrella organization for philanthropy is the Council on Foundations).  
• Give the gift of sustenance. Many organizations specialize in charity gifts. Working together with your child to give the gift of a goat, chickens or a bee-hive to a youngster far away is sure to ignite the imagination and make a lasting impression. (Heifer International is one of the many organizations that give important charity gifts to children all over the world.)
• Check into Micro-Lending. Older children may find it interesting to support a small business in a developing country. (Kiva is a worldwide nonprofit that allows the public to give poverty-alleviating microloans to entrepreneurs in developing countries.)
• Donate gently used goods. It’s the perfect time to go through untouched toys or too-small coats with your child to give to those in need.
• Volunteer. If you’d rather give time than money, there are wonderful opportunities in every community for all ages to get involved. Making an immediate impact is one of the best ways to teach your child about giving back. (Hands On Atlanta is a local nonprofit that helps connect individuals and groups with volunteer opportunities. There are many “Hands on” organizations across the country – you can find them through the Points of Light Institute).

Creativity is key to engaging kids in philanthropic efforts. As many donors and volunteers find, engaging in meaningful philanthropy is not always as simple as one might think. It is especially important to moderate the expectations of your youngster by discussing that lasting change takes time.
 
The greatest gift you can give your children, one that will never go out of vogue or be crammed into the far reaches of the playroom, is the ability to reach out to those in need. When you start during the holiday season, it helps to keep this wonderful spirit of giving alive for your entire family all year round.

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Elise Eplan founded the The Eplan Group to help individuals, families and corporations turn philanthropic ideas and aspirations into strategic action.

Prior to The Eplan Group, Elise was vice president for Special Initiatives at The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, leading the development of its vision, direction and processes. Over a period of 11 years, she oversaw more than $100 million of discretionary grantmaking for the trustees and more than $15 million in foundation grants for parks and greenspace in Atlanta. Prior to this, Elise was the director of The Carter Center's America Project, an urban anti-poverty initiative. Elise was the founding president of Hands On Atlanta, a community service organization, which places over 30,000 volunteers annually. Read her full bio.