This article explores different strategies for giving in a changing economic climate.

• With the wrath of the recession widespread, most people are cutting spending wherever possible, charitable giving being a popular place to start.
• But charities are in need right now more than most and more than ever.
• Instead of cutting charitable giving altogether, some people are reassessing which charities are most in need (prioritizing, for instance, food banks over art galleries) and directing whatever they can afford to those organizations.

Facts & Figures

• Donors have two basic theories of giving: (1) direct service to individuals and (2) change through advocacy and public education.
• During tough economic times, there is a shift from advocacy and public education to direct service because its effects are tangible and measurable.
• Three techniques for giving in tough times are: (1) conversion (let the charity spend part of the pledge to an endowment immediately), (2) deferral (spread the donation out over time), and (3) triage (weed out charities no longer seen as effective).

Best Quote

“When things go down, no matter how much you have, you think you are poorer and therefore your tendency is to withdraw completely. The problem is that this is the time when you can do the most good, when you really need to give.” – Joe Briggs, retired legal-publishing executive and philanthropist

Tags: charitable giving, conversion, deferral, philanthropy, recession