'Start from the values and causes you care about': A commentary by Anne Welsh McNulty

Three end-of-year giving tips from someone who gives for a living

Americans are incredibly generous. Individuals in this country donate more than $300 billion a year to charitable organizations — and more than 30 percent of that giving occurs between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. When donating your money during the holiday rush, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the worthy causes and noble organizations to choose from.

As the co-founder of the John P. and Anne Welsh McNulty Foundation, I’m lucky. I get to give money all year long — nearly $25 million over the last ten years — to exceptional changemakers through our flagship McNulty Prize as well as to our important education partners and other efforts close to our heart. We work every day to find trustworthy and effective leaders to support and make our giving more effective.

Here are a few lessons we’ve learned along the way about how to make the most impact with charitable donations:

Start from the values and causes you care about.

This is your giving, which means it’s your chance to support organizations that represent your values. Personally, I find that my values are rooted in the experiences of my own life, my husband’s life, and our families’ immigrant history. If you’re finding it challenging to articulate your values, it may help to reflect on the opportunities or inequities you’ve experienced or witnessed that have moved you most....

Read the full commentary by Anne Welsh McNulty, co-founder and president of the John P. and Anne Welsh McNulty Foundation.

(Photo credit: Nico Smit via Unsplash)