Use passion as a requisite for investing your time ormoney in a cause. We live in a community where anask to participate in giving waits around every corner. Everycharitable endeavor qualifies as a “good cause,” but what really lights the spark of generosity in your heart? Focus on the issues you are most passionate about and the organizations that will appreciateyour individual contributions.  

Think before you give.  After you know the perfect charitable causethat speaks to your heart, find the right local organization for you. Chances are, there will be more than one nonprofit addressing the mission you care most about, and in some cases, many. Know which nonprofits are working in the mission focus area you are interested in, how they are different, and whether their programs and services are really making a difference.The Giving Partner is a great resource to learn more about hundreds of local nonprofit organizations in Southwest Florida. What questions should you ask about them? Readmy earlier column from July here. 

Sharephilanthropic experiences with your circle of colleagues, friends and family.The power of volunteering or donating together can be an enriching experience that brings you closer to each other. Ask your friends, family or colleagues to propose ideas for a day or half-day of volunteering. Some organizations are better equipped than others to organize meaningful group projects; most will tell you what is possible if you contact them. Think about joining or creating a giving circle to pool yourdonationwith others fora larger gift to a cause important to your group. On birthdays or holidays, consider making a donation to an organization in honor of a loved one, inspiring them to learn about a new cause and perhaps to give as well.