Gifts That Give Back Take Many Shapes

Gifts that give back can be about more than just giving money

. "Giving back" is often about helping others with other resources too. If a person is gifted with particular skills, knowledge, or experience, that can be of great benefit to nonprofits as well. Although non-profits are always in need of operating capital, more often than not, it is the time and expertise of donors that they most crave, because it can save them from spending their capital on those same skills and using it for their programs instead.

Giving financially is quick and easy, but assumes that money alone can solve a problem. While money is needed for a host of material and personnel needs, what non-profits often lack are "boots on the ground" that can provide the kinds of services they need. This is where people who want to give gifts that give back can really make a difference.

One way of providing gifts that give back is to volunteer some of that time in some "hands-on" role. Whether it be hammering nails at a Habitat for Humanity project or washing dishes at a soup kitchen, these kinds of services are constantly needed. Organizations like this keep their payrolls at a minimum and depend on volunteer labor to accomplish their goals. So while writing a check certainly will provide raw materials, those are not of much value without the hands needed to work with them.

Another area where non-profits struggle in finding people with gifts to give back is management strategy. While facing many of the same challenges as for-profit companies, few non-profits are run by CEOs with MBAs from Harvard or Wharton. Some of the most beneficial organizations were begun by individuals or groups with a lot of heart for their cause, but without much of the organizational background needed to run a successful business. With that in mind, non-profit boards and executive committees are always in need of gifts that give back in the form of long-term sound business counsel, whether that be investment advice to help build an endowment or long-range planning seminars to help secure the future of the organization.

Another area where non-profits need gifts that give back are specific professional services. Just to be able to operate, non-profit entities must file and maintain legal papers and occasionally negotiate complex legal situations. Attorneys willing to offer pro bono services as their gifts that give back are worth their weight in gold to non-profits.

Accounting and tax preparation are another area where non-profits need specific gifts that give back. The IRS isn't any less demanding of non-profits when it comes to financial records. If anything, government entities wishing to expose fraudulent non-profits can be more exacting on charities than on for-profit corporations. For this reason, any accountants who want to offer gifts that give back could do very well to offer their services instead of their finances.

Other gifts that give back that could benefit non-profit organizations include human resources, psychological services and medical services. Non-profits, because they tend to value lower payroll numbers, often do not have the wherewithal to manage these types of benefits for their employees that come with contracting with large providers. Individuals who are able to give gifts that give back in the form of services are highly valued.

Giving money to a charity is certainly rewarding, but giving one's time is often more appreciated. As Tom Tierney, chairman and CEO of Bridgespan Group which advises non-profits said, "If money alone solved problems, the world would be much better off than it is. Executives at any point in their careers have talents and broad experiences to offer nonprofits."

To truly give gifts that give back, consider investing time rather than money.

by: Julia Rostin

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