The personal dimension of giving raises many important questions. Here are some resources, readily found or ordered online, to help you develop a personal philosophy of giving that matches your individual goals and beliefs.

How should I get started thinking about my charitable giving?
A contemporary, practical resource is Inspired Philanthropy by Tracy Gary and Melissa Kohner. It is a workbook with useful background about the big picture of giving. A similar overview with a business executive bent is Howard Weiss’ The Philanthropic Executive.

The site entitled www.futureofphilanthropy.org has been created to “improve the practice of philanthropy.” Sponsored by two major foundations, it offers tools for thinking through how to select a charity/cause to support with your donations (local? global? immediate needs? long-term investment? etc.). It is rather dry, but the menu enables you to browse the site easily.

Why should I be generous? What difference will it make for me and my community?
Consider Andrew Carnegie’s classic, The Gospel of Wealth, or a more contemporary volume, The Greater Good, by Claire Gaudiani, which is filled with stories of the remarkable impact of citizen generosity on American democratic and economic success. Click here to find the Program’s review of this book. For an inspirational account of the benefits of giving by one giver, review The Cathedral Within by Bill Shore.

Happiness is a topic that is much researched by psychologists today. The correlation between generosity and happiness is discussed frequently, including in the January 17, 2005, issue of Time magazine, www.time.com. Research cited indicates that “contributing to others” ranks at the top of sources of happiness at about the same level as children and friends—and above spouses!

How will giving affect me and my family, especially my children and grandchildren?
The National Center for Family Philanthropy, www.ncfp.org, offers many useful tools for family-oriented philanthropy. The Philanthropic Initiative, www.tpi.org, a not-for-profit consulting group, also has workbooks for family giving. We also recommend the very witty “Classic Issues in Family Succession Planning” by G. Warren Whitaker, which appeared in Probate and Property in March/April 2003 and can be accessed through www.abanet.org/rppt/publications/magazine/home.html. Whitaker shows how proper estate planning could have helped resolve the classic conflicts at the heart of a number of major Shakespeare plays, with his tongue only partially in his cheek.

How much should I give? How much can I afford to give?
A very inspiring read is Ken Dayton’s philosophy of giving, entitled Stages of Giving, published by The Independent Sector (www.minnesotagiving.org/howmuch.htm). Also consider www.newtithing.org, a site developed by Claude Rosenberg, a successful money manager turned author (Wealthy and Wise: How You and America Can Get the Most Out of Your Giving). There is even a calculator to help you estimate various percentages of your income and/or assets. Click here to find the Program’s interview with Rosenberg.

How does giving relate to my religious/cultural values?
If you were raised in the Judeo-Christian tradition, you are probably well aware of the centrality of generosity in these teachings. The medieval rabbi Maimonides, who outlined the eight stages of Tsedakah (generosity that acknowledges the dignity of the receiver), provides practical guidance on how to give that is still valuable today. The story of the good Samaritan, a familiar Christian Sunday School parable, defines generosity beyond one’s own family. All other major religious traditions, such as Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, include explicit injunctions to practice generosity. See Chapter 8 in Gaudiani’s The Greater Good for details.

If I am interested in women’s approaches to giving, what are some resources?
Consider The Transformative Power of Women’s Philanthropy, edited by Martha Taylor and Sondra Shaw-Hardy, in the Jossey Bass New Directions for Philanthropy series. It is a new compilation of brief, readable essays that cover the history, impact, and unique strategies of women’s philanthropy. Additional references include www.learningtogive.org and the files of The Chronicle of Philanthropy, searchable at www.philanthropy.com.

What do I plan to give? Money? Time? Knowledge? Or a combination?
It is easy to equate giving with writing a check. But a contribution of time and knowledge to a not-for-profit organization is always welcome and often deeply satisfying. One of many Web sites that help would-be volunteers connect to organizations in need is www.volunteermatch.org. It is searchable by region and by topic. The Executive Service Corps does the same with a focus on management assistance for not-for-profits. Check www.escus.org to find an affiliate near you. Click here to read the Program’s recent article on volunteerism.

A current trend in philanthropy is so-called venture philanthropy, in which donors take an activist investor role in helping to guide, manage, and evaluate one or more not-for-profits. The philosophy is laid out at www.pcf.org/about/cvp_whtpaper.html, the Web site of the Peninsula Community Foundation in Silicon Valley.