How To Become A Philanthropist With Any Budget Size

I had a realization last month as I was paying my bills… I hardly had any paper bills arriving in the mail. Over time so many companies have adopted the use of automatic deductions and frankly, I appreciate the convenience of it all. Many of my standard utility bills and even my mortgage are now conveniently being deducted from my account. Think about all of the things that we now subscribe to: Netflix, Disney+, Blue Apron, gym memberships- all conveniently charged to your checking account without any effort on your part. 

The good news? The same can be achieved with nonprofit organizations. Most organizations have adopted this form of subscription giving so their donors can make a monthly contribution with the same ease as your Hulu subscription.
The benefits are twofold: 

1. You get to feel joy each time you give, can be a philanthropist at any budget size, and make a larger impact by budgeting a donation on a monthly basis instead of one lump sum. 
2. The organization you donate to receives a steady stream of income that allows them to make a larger impact and reduces the dependency on large scale events which require a lot of time, money and effort. 

By becoming a subscriber or member, you are making the organization you commit to part of your lifestyle.

My husband and I went through the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and the philosophy was to create a budget that allows you to pay off debt, save for the future and ultimately be able to give back like no other. 
We were able to craft our monthly budget to allow a portion of our income to be donated to our church and charity of choice and to be able to do so month after month without feeling strapped for funds. For our income level, this helps us feel comfortable with being able to give more without having to write a big lump sum. 
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I highly recommend taking a look at your budget and seeing if you could reallocate some funds to be able to give back to your favorite organization. If you’re looking for a program to help you create a monthly budget that allows you to not only create more financial peace of mind but also be able to donate more consistently check out Every Dollar app (perk- it’s free).
Even if you can only afford $10 a month, which may not sound like a lot, over the course of a year that’s $120 and that can make a huge difference for a nonprofit! 

Now time for my shameless plug:  If you feel a tug at your heart to give consistently, the Olivia Caldwell Foundation has a Circle of Hope monthly subscription giving program. It’s all managed online- you pick the amount that works for your budget and can pause or cancel any time. When you donate monthly, you’re a part of a special community who is committed to saving more children by funding pediatric cancer research and sustaining the programs that support families of children battling cancer and other serious diseases in Wyoming and surrounding areas.

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Allison Harker, Community Relations Manager

Allison has a background in non-profit work, which has always held a special place in her heart. Having a deeper meaning to the work she does is really important to her. She looks forward to supporting OCF and growing with the organization to make a difference in the lives of families here in Wyoming. ​