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Karen George
Chief Development Officer
Blanchard Valley Health Foundation
Have you ever considered that philanthropy has a life cycle? Many people assume that they need to be fully retired or extremely wealthy to make a gift to a nonprofit organization. I did not think I could help any charitable organization in my early career because I could not make a five-, six-, or seven-figure gift. This was not true.
Gifts of any size tremendously impact people and causes served by charitable institutions. In my current role, leading fundraising efforts for a local healthcare foundation, I know a gift in any amount is welcome and important.
Getting Started
One of the first ways you can support a nonprofit is to volunteer. You can also make an annual gift, which strengthens the donor base. Charitable institutions always need new donors; annual gifts offer an avenue to give without much thought or pressure. While you may feel like you are in your philanthropic “infancy,” the organization can use your annual gift for areas of greatest need as these gifts do not, typically, carry restrictions.
Next Steps
As you grow further into life and your career, the nonprofit institution(s) you support can grow with you. When you accumulate assets, you may move into the second stage of philanthropy by making a “major gift.” Gifts at this level vary depending on the size and scope of the organization, but they move the needle by helping the institution achieve a specific outcome. You will give much more thought to the amount you want to donate and how you want the gift to be used. For example, major gifts to a healthcare organization can help purchase lifesaving medical equipment and technology or support a designated service line like cancer, cardiac, neurological care, or endocrinology/diabetes management.
Advanced Stage
When a donor develops a long-standing relationship with a nonprofit organization and has a rich involvement and trust history, this is an advanced stage when a transformational gift occurs. These gifts can come as a planned (or estate) gift or a capital campaign gift. When an individual includes a 501(c)(3) organization in their estate plans, it signifies a close relationship, like being one of the family. The donor may name a wing, an addition, or even a new building. Capital campaigns are so much more than bricks and mortar; in healthcare, these spaces are created out of necessity to treat patients and expand services based on community needs.
Donors of all ages and stages of life are necessary to help nonprofit institutions thrive. Whether you are just starting out in your career or wondering how to stay connected to the community after retirement, consider ways to support a nonprofit that aligns with your passion and priorities. Whether you volunteer and/or make a gift, it will be a rewarding experience that changes lives and may even honor your personal legacy.