Giving Money Away

On a recent trip to Nicaragua, I met a professor who is active in a progressive Catholic parish in Philadelphia. He said that the priests of the church urged people to tithe by giving 5% of their income to the church and 5% to other causes. That is great and probably alot of us church types try to do that or something like that. If we belong to a Church, we know how to give to the church.

But how do we learn to give away that other 5% with efficiency and effectiveness and joy?

I guess I am feeling the need for a workshop or class or discussion on Giving Money Away. How do we find the right partners--especially as we look internationally? What kinds of accountability can we expect? If we are major donors, how do we use our influence in ways that are helpful and not paternalistic?

In the Chronicle of Philanthropy years ago, I read an article that argued persuasively that the reason more money wasn't donated was that there was a shortage of people who were fundraisers, who were actively seeking to create that flow of money from those who have(and often know that they have too much) and those who are in need.

Now, we don't just want to give to beggars, whether in the form of little kids on the street or organizations, that just appeal to our sympathies. I am amazed at today's Star Ledger which includes at least five ads pleading for people to donate their old car or boat and always to help children. These organizations almost always have obscure names and addresses, but a tax ID number. Smiling children draw the reader in. But they feel like quasi scams or at the very least organizations that spend an enormous amount of money on advertising.

So we know some of the kinds of organizations that we don't want to support. But we need to find those that are very powerful, cost effective and that call forth our soul's joy as well as our checkbook's power. How do we do that? Do you all know any helpful resources?