How To Become a Philanthropist
When one wants to work as a philanthropist, it’s essential to keep in mind that philanthropy’s core is the desire to help others. Philanthropy can take on many forms, whether monetary donations or giving one’s time to a charitable cause. But how does one become a philanthropist? Keep reading to find out.
The first step in philanthropy is to find a worthy cause. Think about causes of interest to core values, such as education or the environment. Finding a cause will help determine how to donate, whether in time, money, or resources. While philanthropy is often associated with money, there are other ways to give to those causes. For example, a philanthropist during their own time may volunteer their time each month at an elderly care facility, or the philanthropic department of an organization may donate new desks to a school.
Once it is figured out the cause to give towards, the following steps would be to look for opportunities and establish a plan. Using the donating desks example, a philanthropist may start researching organizations and schools that would be a good fit for their cause. After this is figured out, the best course of action is to develop a plan to support the organization or group regularly. Examples of this could be monthly volunteering or monetary donations, or maybe just a large one-off donation or yearly donations of funds or goods.
Another great way to help expand one’s philanthropy is to network with others. Engage others who share the same interests, and tell them of the supported causes. This could, in turn, inspire others to become philanthropists, ensuring that the spirit of giving continues.
While anyone can become a philanthropist in their personal life, some people also make a career of it by being part of their organization’s charitable giving department or by being part of a charity, to begin with. In these roles, an individual or a team may oversee how, when, and where an organization or company gives to philanthropic causes or groups. In this compacity, a person can also take on the role of a professional philanthropist.
