Giving Is A Skill

As a society, we tend to place the hygiene factors of a career (money, benefits, and social prestige) over those that truly give us motivation and meaning (personal development, impact, and being a part of something bigger than oneself). For this reason, many children do not even consider a career in giving when they are asked what they would like to be when they “grow up?” To begin to change this...

Abraham Maslow is most famous for his contributions to humanistic psychology, and while he made many contributions in this field, his most notable work revolves around basic human needs. Humanistic psychology is essentially the study of the individual, and it was on the individual that Abraham focused. However, later in his life, he expressed a change of heart regarding his early work. This week,...

The conversation surrounding the giving of one’s time, talents, and money is often viewed from a top-line perspective. The more we have, the better. This approach, however, does little to improve the causes and charities we care about if there is nothing left at the bottom-line. This week, learn how to give more of your time, talents, and money by evaluating and cutting back on what you are curren...

Our personal finances can often become too personal. With so much emphasis placed on self, it is easy to push off giving until we have everything 'handled.' Although easy, such an approach certainly is not useful. Giving and philanthropy are skillsets, just like budgeting and investing. The more time you have to practice, the larger the impact. This week, learn the giving-first personal...

No outline, no cuts, just a raw conversation about the present and future of Basement Philanthropy. 

Check out the new 5 minute video introduction to giving and philanthropy: https://vimeo.com/824985963 ______________________________________________________ Start your Micro-Philanthropy journey today through the free course: https://www.udemy.com/course/micro-philanthropy_paycheck/ Password: micro-philanthropy ______________________________________________________ Watch the podcast on YouTube: ht...

This week instead of listening to me, I want to share with you an episode of one of my favorite Podcasts, Hidden Brain. Host Shankar Vedantam and psychologist Amit Kumar explore the psychology behind giving. It was rich, personable, and full of actionable steps to help all of us become more impactful givers. The listen will be well worth your time. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/pod...

Many of us first experience giving and philanthropy through service projects. These pre-planned opportunities are a great introduction to giving, but should be viewed as the beginning and not the end of our development as philanthropists. Service projects are a launchpad to developing a service lifestyle which incorporates giving into every aspect of one’s life. This week, learn both the process a...

It is common to say that individuals are good by nature, but is that actually the truth? So much of our experience of society seems to point towards the exact opposite, and it can feel like humans are actually hardwired to be awful. This week, learn about the emerging neuroscience that proves that humans are in deed good by nature. ______________________________________________________ Main Podcas...

What is your relationship like with perfectionism? Does it loom large over your life or is it merely an infrequent annoyance? Does show up when you start a project or towards the finish line? Regardless of how or when you experience this seemingly innate desire for fully polished outcomes, perfectionism rarely adds value to our lives especially when it comes to giving. This week, learn how replaci...

Can one person truly make a difference? It's a question that many of us ask as we strive to increase our philanthropic impact. While there's no definitive answer, a quick flip through an old yearbook will likely spark memories of teachers who proved that the impact of a single person can reverberate through the lives of countless individuals. In this episode, Jared Payne, Peter Cook, and...

It’s common to feel paralyzed on the sidelines of giving. Causes that can use our support are everywhere, but we trick ourselves into thinking that what we have to contribute won’t make a difference. What if that wasn’t the case, however? What if our micro-actions snowballed into real sustainable change? This week, learn how the principle of stewardship proves that our individual giving matters. _...

Over the last few years, news media organizations have become increasingly controversial. Polarizing political perspectives and fierce competition for market share has turned a once-trusted public service into a battleground for our attention. Unfortunately, this can have a negative impact on giving and philanthropy, as stories about these topics often have a short shelf-life in an industry that i...

Wealth is a complicated subject. While we all need it to live, the pursuit of wealth often leads to a life that doesn't feel fulfilling. Despite this, many of us feel like we don't have enough, even though we may have more than the majority of earth’s population. This week, learn how to give more by simply changing how you look at the definition of what it means to “be rich.” The Billion...

Unfortunately, company giving is mostly viewed through a lens of broad high-level “Corporate” initiatives. While these initiatives do create real impact, they often leave out a major stakeholder: the individual team members. This week, we'll explore how integrating individual micro-philanthropy into a business's learning and development strategy can create a sum much greater than its par...

I’ve found it challenging at times to tell the full story of Basement Philanthropy. Not because I don’t know or love it, but because I often get pigeonholed into what my current experience. Being a guest on someone else’s podcast, however, has a way of reframing that perspective, and that is exactly what happened when I sat down with Bob DePasquale. His Podcast, “Speaking With Impact” focuses on “...

What good could be created if we all got a little better at doing something about the things we spend so much time talking about? Too often, causes that need our hands get only our quotes, and while awareness is crucial to change, “lip service” can only go so far. This week, experience the impact of acting on a seemingly ordinary conversation with my friends Kim Josse, Lindsey Estes, and Amy Forbu...

Without love, philanthropy is no more than a tax incentive. With love, your money can move the world. This Valentines Day, learn how to replace chocolates and roses with something that will last well past February 14th.  ______________________________________________________ Start your Micro-Philanthropy journey today through the free course: https://www.udemy.com/course/micro-philanthropy_paychec...

Starting an official nonprofit is a big decision. With so much to consider, it can be easy to get lost in the millions of Google results. This week, learn how to cut through the minutia with 7 simple questions.  ______________________________________________________ The Seven Questions: 1. Will you serve a “charitable class?” 2. Do you have a charitable “program?” 3. Can you feed and care for an o...

Mistakes are an inevitable part of the philanthropy journey. Instead of shying away from them, embrace them as opportunities to grow and improve your giving skills. This week, discover the unexpected benefits of overcoming missteps in your giving efforts. ______________________________________________________ Sabrina Podcast Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/basement-philanthropy/id16...

Did you spend as much time giving last week as you wanted? It's a simple question, and while many of us claim to be charitable, our calendars tell a very different story. So, what would happen if you started to actively track the time you spent giving? Would your calendar begin to reflect your philanthropic intentions? This week, join Emily Jensen, Tanner Green, and me in a conversation about...

Doing anything by yourself is a challenge, especially when it comes to giving. You see a neighbor’s fence needing repainting, but you don’t have the guts to approach them. A park in your community is collecting more and more trash, but the thought of picking it up alone is overwhelming. Refugees come to your hometown with little to nothing, but you and your family barely have enough to get by. Alt...

Nearly 300 billion dollars are spent annually on advertising in the United States. From car insurance to men’s deodorant, advertisements often push us to prioritize our own interests over those of others. In this week's episode, learn how to flip this self-centered narrative by ironically using the same techniques as the Billion Dollar Anti-Philanthropy Machine. ______________________________...

The Philanthropic Method can transform any giving opportunity into an impactful experience. At first, it doesn’t seem natural to use a framework in our small-scale giving, but you’ll never go back once you experience the benefits of adding intention to the equation. This week, learn how natural implementing this process can be with my friend Katie Morse.  The Philanthropic Method Explained: Part 1...

With New Year's just around the corner, it can be tempting to spend the next week or so planning ambitious giving goals for 2023. Maybe you feel called to help alleviate poverty in South America, support homeless veterans in Miami, or stop the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. Whatever the cause, before you get too far down the giving daydream, remember these four words: "start sma...