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December 29, 2008

How to Make Every Month a Time for Giving?

Many people do all their giving in a few frenzied days toward the end of December. Writing on her blog, Beth Kanter shares some ideas for incorporating charitable giving into the other 11 months of the year.

Marking a birthday is an easy way to spread giving days across the year. Last year, for her 51st birthday, Ms. Kanter persuaded 51 people to donate $10 apiece to the Sharing Foundation, a nonprofit group in Concord, Mass.

Charities’ Valentine’s Day fund-raising drives make it easy to give in February, and March weather encourages marathons and other outdoor fund-raising events to which you can donate.

Earth Day is in April, so Ms. Kanter says people can help celebrate by giving to an environmental group. May is Mother’s Day — and charities’ Mother’s Day campaigns — while June marks the end of school, and a perfect time to donate money to give school supplies to children overseas, she says.

How can charities do more to encourage people to give throughout the year, especially as the recession makes donors more wary of opening their wallets regularly? Click on the comments link below to share your ideas.

— Caroline Preston

Monday December 29, 2008 | Permalink

Comments

1. Thanks so much for the mention. It’s a good time to rethink your habits, including giving.

   BTW, the Sharing Foundation
   http://www.sharingfoundation.org is located in Concord, MA.

   — Beth Kanter    Dec 29, 06:00 PM    #

2. We apologize for the error – and have amended the post to identify the Sharing Foundation your gift supported.

   — The Editors of The Chronicle of Philanthropy    Dec 29, 06:27 PM    #

3. How about sponsoring one student per month in 2009? www.buzzfund.com

   — 4students    Dec 30, 01:29 PM    #

4. What about allowing people to give all the way into April – just as they are able to make contributions to fund an IRA? That way, people would know what their calendar year-end income and tax situation was and they could make an informed and educated decision to give. It probably wouldn’t shift all giving to the spring, but spread it more over that six month period than at present. And encourage more thoughtful and strategic philanthropy.

   — Paul Swindlehurst    Dec 30, 04:19 PM    #

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