A Complete Guide to Personal Philanthropy

Are you one of the newly wealthy with an interest in "giving back" . . . an heir to money you’d like to share with a favorite cause . . . or simply someone who would like to do good in your community? There are more opportunities than ever for people of every financial station to make a difference through charitable giving. But how do you choose among the many options available, and how do you know which type of gift is best for you?

Invest in Charity: A Donor’s Guide to Charitable Giving will teach you everything you need to know to devise and follow an effective charitable giving plan. It explains how to find the right charity; understand the tax, estate, and financial considerations; and select a gift–whether it’s a one-time cash gift or a lifelong annuity. Covering everything from researching the legitimacy of a nonprofit organization to navigating the tax and estate laws that apply to you, this guide will help you make your bequest with complete confidence that it’s right for your charity and for you.

Individuals who are civically active have three things in common: they have the capacity to do so, they want to, and they have been asked to participate. New Advances in the Study of Civic Voluntarism is dedicated to examining the continued influence of these factors-resources, engagement, and recruitment-on civic participation in the twenty-first century. The contributors to this volume examine recent social, political, technological, and intellectual changes to provide the newest research in the field. Topics range from race and religion to youth in the digital age, to illustrate the continued importance of understanding the role of the everyday citizen in a democratic society. Contributors include:Molly Andolina, Allison P. Anoll, Leticia Bode, Henry E. Brady, Traci Burch, Barry C. Burden, Andrea Louise Campbell, David E. Campbell, Sara Chatfield, Stephanie Edgerly, Zoltan Fazekas, Lisa Garcia Bedoll, Peter K. Hatemi, John Henderson, Krista Jenkins, Yanna Krupnikov, Adam Seth Levine, Melissa R. Michelson, S. Karthick Ramakrishnan, Dinorah Sanchez Loza, Kay Lehman Schlozman, Dhavan Shah, Sono Shah, Kjerstin Thorson, Sidney Verba, Logan Vidal, Emily Vraga, Chris Wells, JungHwan Yang, and the editor.

Our faith is centered around giving and offering support, yet our belief about those who need "help" must be reexamined. Philanthropy is steeped in myths that hurt communities of color rather than help them. Many current philanthropic strategies fail because they neglect the experience, wisdom, and gifts of those receiving "help," and prioritize and perpetuate false myths. These myths fuel deficit-based models of philanthropy that do not work and will not change poverty.Froswa' Booker-Drew offers a solution that transforms philanthropy at individual and collective levels. Eliminating common myths and misinterpretations can bring about a more effective model of philanthropy-one that relies on a community's social, human, and cultural capital and champions the insights and strengths of those being served. In addition, the voices of those most impacted by philanthropy must be included in board membership, program development, leadership in nonprofits, and charitable giving. Empowering Charity serves as catalyst and conversation starter for tolerance and authentic inclusion in our workplaces, organizations, and communities. Booker-Drew supplies strategies for involving those who are often unknown, overlooked, or viewed as "other," strategies that will have a collective impact in the community of God and transform philanthropy to highlight God's love for all people and effect real change.

On January 29, 2001, President George W. Bush signed an executive order creating the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. This action marked a key step toward institutionalizing an idea that emerged in the mid-1990s under the Clinton administration--the transfer of some social programs from government control to religious organizations. However, despite an increasingly vocal, ideologically charged national debate--a debate centered on such questions as: What are these organizations doing? How well are they doing it? Should they be supported with tax dollars?--solid answers have been few.

"In Saving America?" Robert Wuthnow provides a wealth of up-to-date information whose absence, until now, has hindered the pursuit of answers. Assembling and analyzing new evidence from research he and others have conducted, he reveals what social support faith-based agencies are capable of providing. Among the many questions he addresses: Are congregations effective vehicles for providing broad-based social programs, or are they best at supporting their own members? How many local congregations have formal programs to assist needy families? How much money do such programs represent? How many specialized faith-based service agencies are there, and which are most effective? Are religious organizations promoting trust, love, and compassion?

The answers that emerge demonstrate that American religion is helping needy families and that it is, more broadly, fostering civil society. Yet religion alone cannot save America from the broad problems it faces in providing social services to those who need them most.

Elegantly written, "Saving America?" represents an authoritative and evenhanded benchmark of information for the current--and the coming--debate.

Given the increased pressures and higher demand on social-service organizations, faith-based providers must find ways to increase their effectiveness while maintaining their religious distinctiveness. Serving Those in Need provides practical answers for those engaged in the delivery of human and social services. The editor and contributors draw from their deep commitment to faith, from a sense that religion plays a powerfully important role in people's lives and in our public life. For those who view service to others as a means of realizing their faith, this book will be tremendously useful.