Expanding Your Impact: Effective Giving Beyond Donations
A joint post by Nina Friedrichđ¸ from High Impact Professionals (HIP) and James Raytonđ¸ from Giving What We Can (GWWC)
When we first commit to effective giving, it often starts with a pledgeâa promise to donate a portion of our income to high-impact causes. But once that commitment is made, a new question arises: How can we amplify our impact beyond just our financial contributions?
In our recent webinar, âExpanding Your Impact: Effective Giving as a High-Impact Career Path,â we explored this very question. We delved into different ways how you can use both your professional and personal network to inspire and enable others to join us on this journey. Here, weâd like to share key insights and ideas from that discussion.
Note that this is the second webinar in the Effective Giving & Impactful Careers webinar series. The content and recording of the first session can be found here:
Why These Strategies Matter
By expanding efforts to engage more people and encourage greater giving, we multiply our impact. Each person inspired by these initiatives has the potential to influence their own networks, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond our individual reach.
Incorporating effective giving into our professional and personal lives not only amplifies our contributions but also fosters communities committed to making a meaningful difference. This collective effort can significantly advance the causes we care about most.
Overview of strategies considered
Below, we delve into the following topics:
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Professional Strategies: Making an Impact at Work
Our workplaces offer significant opportunities to foster a culture of effective giving. By leveraging professional networks and resources, we can create ripple effects that extend far beyond our individual contributions. Note that these options are particularly relevant for people working outside of the standard high impact organisations.
Engaging More People
1. Host âLunch & Learnâ Sessions on Effective Donations
What if a lunch break could help change the world? Lunch & Learn sessions are informal gatherings during work hours where you can discuss high-impact charities and the principles of effective giving with your colleagues.
These sessions are a low-pressure, accessible way to introduce others to effective giving. They provide an opportunity to share insights, highlight impactful organisations, and foster meaningful workplace discussions about social impact.
One inspiring example comes from Rachel, a Product Manager at Reddit, who organised a Lunch & Learn series featuring speakers from high-impact organisations. The sessions attracted over 200 colleagues, many of whom were introduced to the concept of effective giving for the first time. By creating a space for learning and conversation, Rachel inspired her peers to think critically about how they could contribute to global impact.
By hosting a Lunch & Learn, you can educate your colleagues, spark discussions, and encourage them to explore the world of effective givingâall over a shared meal.
2. Start or Join Workplace Giving Groups
Workplace groups dedicated to social responsibility and effective donations can be powerful tools for creating collective impact. These groups bring like-minded colleagues together to drive initiatives, promote effective giving, and foster a culture of generosity within your organisation.
By forming or joining such a group, you can increase awareness about high-impact charities, build a sense of community, and amplify your workplaceâs collective contribution to addressing global challenges. These groups often organise events, share resources, and support each other in their giving journeys.
One notable example is #Daniel Handschuh, who transitioned from consulting to co-founding Notify Health after his involvement in a Consultants for Impact workplace group at Accenture. The group focused on effective giving and global health, inspiring Daniel to pivot his career toward addressing neglected issues in healthcare.
If youâre looking for guidance, explore resources like HIPâs Workplace Groups Overview or Consultants for Impactâs Workplace Group Toolkit to kickstart your efforts. Together, you and your colleagues can make a tangible difference.
3. Offer Pro Bono Professional Services
Pro bono work enables employees to contribute their professional expertise to nonprofits, providing valuable skills that go beyond financial donations. Areas like legal services, marketing, IT, and finance are often in high demand among nonprofits, and your expertise can help them scale their impact and operate more efficiently.
This approach creates a win-win situation: nonprofits gain access to essential skills, and employees can make a meaningful difference using their unique abilities. Itâs an impactful way to support organisations whose missions align with your values.
For example, the Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) credits pro bono support as a key reason why 100% of public donations go directly toward purchasing mosquito nets. According to AMF, âMany companies and individuals have agreed to help for free. No supporter of AMF has stepped aside in the 20 years since it started.â
By offering your expertise, you can help high-impact nonprofits achieve their goals and multiply the effect of their work. Explore opportunities within your network or workplace to connect with organisations in need of your skills.
Encouraging Greater Giving
1. Implement Donation-Matching Initiatives
Donation-matching programs are an impactful way to amplify charitable giving within an organisation. These programs allow companies to match their employeesâ donations to eligible charities, effectively doublingâor even triplingâthe impact of every contribution.
By increasing the value of individual donations, these programs encourage more employees to participate in charitable giving while boosting employee engagement and reinforcing the companyâs commitment to social responsibility.
Many well-known companies already have robust matching programs in place. For instance:
Coca-Cola matches $2 for every $1 donated by employees, up to $20,000 annually.
Deloitte offers a generous match of up to $32,500 per year.
Microsoft and IBM both match donations up to $15,000 and $10,000, respectively.
If your company doesnât have a donation-matching program yet, advocating for one can be a valuable way to maximize collective impact. To get started, explore resources like Double the Donation, GWWCâs Overview of High-Impact Organizations, or GiveWellâs Top Charities to ensure the matched contributions go to the most effective causes.
2. Organise Fundraisers
Corporate fundraisers are an excellent way to harness the collective resources and networks of your workplace to support high-impact charities. By organising events or campaigns, companies can raise substantial funds while increasing awareness about effective giving among employees.
These fundraisers are highly effective because they leverage the combined efforts of employees and the company, multiplying contributions and fostering a culture of giving. They also provide opportunities for employees to engage in impactful philanthropy and connect over a shared purpose.
In 2021, HIP supported eight corporate fundraising campaigns, counterfactually raising approximately $240,000 for effective charities. On average, each event raised $30,000, with the median contribution being $3,900. Notably, a significant portion of the total came from a few high-performing events, showcasing the potential of targeted and well-organised campaigns.
To get started with corporate fundraisers, we recommend consulting HIPâs Corporate Fundraising Guide.
3. Launch Company-Wide Giving Campaigns
Company-wide giving campaigns involve an organization pledging to donate a portion of its profits to high-impact charities. These initiatives mobilise significant resources, align the companyâs values with impactful causes, and set a powerful example for employees, clients, and the broader public.
By engaging the entire company in social responsibility, these campaigns not only increase donations but also enhance the companyâs reputation and foster a culture of giving within the organisation. Employees feel more connected to the companyâs mission, and clients often appreciate working with socially responsible partners.
An example is 3Dtotal, which has taken the Company Pledge through GWWC and donates 50% of its profits to effective charities. Their commitment highlights how even small to medium-sized businesses can play a leading role in supporting global impact.
To explore how your company can implement a giving campaign, consider resources from GWWC on company pledges or materials from Founders Pledge to guide the process. Together, these tools can help you structure and execute a campaign that maximizes impact.
Personal Strategies: Inspiring Your Community
Beyond the workplace, your personal networks present valuable opportunities to promote effective giving.
Engaging More People
1. Facilitate Discussions About Effective Giving
Informal discussions with friends and family are one of the simplest yet most impactful ways to promote effective giving. By engaging your personal network in conversations about the importance of high-impact charities, you can raise awareness and inspire others to consider their own philanthropic contributions.
These discussions normalise talking about impactful philanthropy, breaking the silence that often surrounds charitable giving. They also create opportunities to address common concerns, share success stories, and highlight how small, thoughtful contributions can lead to significant global change.
For example, Nina took the opportunity to give a lightning talk about effective giving, which led to immediate action: a $1,000 donation to the Against Malaria Foundation and, over the following months, two 10% Pledges inspired by further conversations.
If youâd like guidance on how to approach these discussions, resources such as GWWCâs Guide to Talking About Effective Altruism and Common Concerns About Donating to Charity provide helpful tips and insights to make your conversations more effective and engaging.
2. Share Impactful Content on Social Media
Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter/âX, or Facebook provide powerful tools for raising awareness about high-impact charities and effective giving. By sharing content about impactful causes and your own giving journey, you can amplify the reach of effective altruism and inspire your network to consider their own contributions.
Sharing your story is a great way to start conversations about effective giving. You might highlight milestones like taking the pledge, reaching a specific donation amount, or celebrating 1, 5, or 10 years of giving effectively. These personal moments create relatable, engaging posts that can encourage others to reflect on their own impact.
For example, using a milestone such as taking the pledge or reaching a significant total in donations can spark curiosity and discussion. Posts like these can normalise effective giving and motivate your friends, family, and followers to explore how they too can make a difference.
If youâre looking for inspiration, GWWC provides templates to help share your pledge on social media and additional resources for telling your effective giving story. With a few simple posts, you can educate others and start meaningful online conversations about philanthropy.
3. Join GWWCâs Pledge Advocacy Program
The Pledge Advocacy Program is a supportive initiative run by GWWC to help individuals confidently discuss their giving pledges with friends, family, or colleagues. Itâs designed to normalise conversations about effective giving and inspire more people to make similar commitments.
Why does this matter? Personal connections are powerful. Approximately 1 in 10 people who take a pledge are referred by someone they know, demonstrating the significant influence of personal advocacy. By participating in this program, you can contribute to a cultural shift where discussing giving becomes a normal and celebrated part of life.
Since its launch, the program has achieved impressive results: 31 people have signed a pledge, including six đ¸10% Pledges, all inspired by advocates who initiated thoughtful conversations.
Interested in joining? Fill out the Expression of Interest Form to get started. GWWC also provides a Pledge Advocacy Program Handbook, (currently in development), with tips and resources to guide your efforts. Your feedback on the handbook is welcome as the program evolves.
By taking part, you can directly contribute to growing the community of effective givers and amplifying the global impact of thoughtful philanthropy.
Encouraging Greater Giving
1. Inspire Regular Giving
Encouraging friends, family, or colleagues who are already giving to set up regular donations to high-impact charities is a simple yet impactful way to grow their contributions. Automatic donations ensure consistency and remove the need for recurring monthly decisions, making giving easier and more sustainable.
This approach fosters a long-term commitment to impactful giving while normalising the idea of regular donations within your network. Conversations about the ease and effectiveness of recurring donations can make a significant difference.
Since March 2024, peer advocacyâconversations between close friends and familyâhas accounted for approximately 8% of GWWCâs pledge growth, making it the second largest source of new pledgers. Based on GWWCâs calculations, these pledges are valued at around $5 million for effective causes, underscoring the immense potential of encouraging regular giving.
To get started, check out GWWCâs Guide to Talking About Effective Altruism, along with detailed information about the đ¸10% Pledge and đšTrial Pledge. These resources can help you approach conversations and guide others toward impactful, sustained giving.
2. Host Personal Fundraisers
Personal fundraisers are a great way to use milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, or other special occasions to support high-impact charities. Instead of receiving gifts, you can ask friends and family to contribute to a cause you care about, multiplying your impact while raising awareness about effective giving.
These fundraisers are particularly effective because they tap into personal celebrations, which naturally draw attention and engagement. By sharing your values and goals with your network, you can inspire others to donate, many of whom might not have previously supported high-impact charities.
For instance, this year, Nina launched a birthday fundraiser supporting LEEP (Lead Exposure Elimination Project) and the Good Food Institute. The campaign raised over $1,700, with most contributions coming from people who had never donated to high-impact organisations before. This simple initiative sparked new awareness and action among her friends and family.
Ready to start your own fundraiser? Tools like GWWCâs Fundraiser Platform make it easy to set up and share your campaign, ensuring that your next celebration makes a lasting difference.
3. Organise Giving Events
Giving events are an impactful way to combine social engagement with philanthropy. Whether itâs a dinner, a gathering, or an online meetup, these events provide a platform to encourage attendees to donate to high-impact charities while fostering deeper conversations about effective giving.
By creating a welcoming space for discussion, these events raise awareness of effective charities, inspire collective giving, and often lead to long-term commitments from attendees. They are an excellent opportunity to celebrate milestones and reinforce the importance of thoughtful philanthropy.
For example, pledge celebrations can take various forms:
Hosting a gathering where attendees sign the pledge and celebrate their new commitments.
Celebrating your own pledge signing with a party or dinner.
Marking milestones like the first or fifth anniversary of taking the pledge with a group of fellow pledgers.
If youâre looking to organize a giving event, GWWC provides event guides and templates as well as an overview for planning pledge celebrations to help you get started. With thoughtful planning, these events can leave a lasting impact on your community.
Overcoming Common Challenges
Taking steps to promote effective giving can feel daunting, but many common concerns have simple solutions. Hereâs how to address some of the most frequent challenges:
Challenge 1: âI Canât Afford to Donateâ
Many people believe they canât make an impact because they feel their financial situation doesnât allow for donations. Webinar #1 addressed this concern by exploring creative ways to give effectively, even on a budget. Refer to the recording of Webinar #1 for inspiration and practical advice, and check out the How Rich Am I Calculator
Challenge 2: âI Donât Think My Donation Will Make a Differenceâ
Itâs easy to feel like a small contribution wonât have an impact, but data shows that even modest donations to high-impact charities can save lives or create substantial change. Webinar #1 highlighted how choosing evidence-based organisations ensures that every dollar counts. Refer to the recording of Webinar #1 to learn more.
Challenge 3: âI Donât Have Time to Think About Itâ
Trust the experts. Charity Evaluators do an amazing job and they are very transparent about their approach. Setting up automatic, recurring donations is a straightforward way to streamline the process. Once established, these contributions require no ongoing decision-making and provide consistent support to effective charities.
Challenge 4: âI Donât Know Where to Startâ
Beginning your giving journey can feel overwhelming, but it doesnât have to be. Start small, such as with one initial donation, or use trusted platforms like GiveWell or GWWC to identify high-impact charities. These resources offer guidance and simplify the decision-making process.
Challenge 5: âItâs uncomfortable to put myself out there and talk about effective givingâ
Itâs normal to feel hesitant about discussing philanthropy, but remember the potential impact of your efforts. A single conversation could inspire others to make meaningful changes in their own giving habits, creating a ripple effect of positive impact. Focus on the change your advocacy could bring.
By addressing these challenges head-on, you can take meaningful steps toward promoting effective giving in your personal and professional circles. Small actions, repeated over time, can lead to significant impact.
Next Steps: Structuring Your Path to Impact
Ready to take action? Hereâs how to structure your journey toward creating greater impact through effective giving:
Decide Your Focus
Reflect on the four quadrants we discussed:Personal vs. Professional
More People vs. Giving More
Choose the quadrant where you believe your efforts can have the greatest impact. This will help you prioritize and align your actions with your strengths and circumstances.
Pick an Action Item
Select one specific activity from your chosen quadrant. Examples include:Organizing a company-wide giving campaign.
Starting a personal fundraiser.
Launching a workplace giving group.
Hosting a Lunch & Learn session.
Set Time Aside
Make time for this action by scheduling it into your calendar. Whether itâs 30 minutes to plan a conversation, a regular hour to set up and promote a fundraiser, or an afternoon to organize a giving event, allocating time ensures consistent progress.Decide Immediate Next Steps
Break your chosen action into smaller, actionable tasks. Ask yourself:What can I do right now to move forward?
Can I send a message to someone?
Should I start a conversation with a colleague or friend?
Is it time to set up a meeting with leadership or find collaborators?
By structuring your approach and taking small, deliberate steps, youâll not only make your actions manageable but also increase the likelihood of long-term success. Every step you take contributes to building a culture of effective giving and amplifying your impact.
Join the Movement
Effective giving is more than a personal choiceâitâs a collective movement toward a better world. By actively engaging others and fostering a culture of generosity and impact, we unlock the true potential of our collective efforts.
Ready to Expand Your Impact?
Access the Webinar Recording: Dive deeper into these strategies by watching the full webinar here.
Share Your Experience: We invite you to share your journey. Comment below or reach out to discuss how youâre expanding your impact.
Final Thoughts
The journey of effective giving extends beyond our own donations. By engaging others and fostering communities committed to high-impact causes, we significantly enhance the difference we make in the world. Every conversation, event, or initiative has the potential to inspire change.
Together, we can create a world where resources are directed toward the most effective solutions, and everyone is empowered to contribute to meaningful change.
Stay Connected
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Feel free to share this post with anyone interested in amplifying their impact through effective giving.
Executive summary: Beyond individual donations, there are numerous strategies to amplify charitable impact through professional and personal networks, including workplace initiatives and community engagement that can create ripple effects of giving.
Key points:
Professional strategies include hosting âLunch & Learnâ sessions, starting workplace giving groups, offering pro bono services, and implementing donation-matching programsâwith some workplace fundraisers raising an average of $30,000.
Personal approaches involve facilitating discussions about effective giving, sharing on social media, and joining GWWCâs Pledge Advocacy Programâwhich has led to 31 new pledges.
Common challenges like financial constraints or discomfort with discussing philanthropy can be overcome through education and starting small.
Success requires choosing a focus area (personal vs. professional, more people vs. giving more), setting specific action items, and dedicating time to implementation.
Regular giving and automated donations are particularly effective for sustaining long-term impact, with peer advocacy accounting for 8% of GWWCâs pledge growth.
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