Insights + Resources

#GivingTuesday

Dec 1, 2015

There is something extraordinarily special about this day, Giving Tuesday, that simply compelled me to write about it. Unfortunately not everyone will share my overly rose-colored view of #GivingTuesday. Some may see this simply as a day of slight annoyance due to the abundance of e-mails asking for monetary donations. But here at Epic Capital, we see things differently. Given the number of non-profit organizations where our employees have served as board members, we recognize the potential impact of a global campaign like this.

On average,  30% of fundraising revenue across all non-profits is achieved in the month of December alone.  And social outreach charities can have their year made or broken dependent upon their revenue from donations in the fourth quarter of the year. Most hold their breath, and can only breathe easy once they tally up the numbers in mid to late January of the following year. That result can dictate their operations and their ability to minister their work throughout the year.

#GivingTuesday is a an incredible opportunity to give. It doesn’t need to be a large sum, because small sums add up. We see it as a “give what you can” day, but a day to give nonetheless. It’s a chance to support organizations that do incredible work. These organizations are staffed by incredible people, who unfortunately, are not paid top dollar for their time and efforts.

These folks have an intense passion for the work they do, because they know they are making a difference. It’s not all about the money they get, it’s about the money that the organization gets so that they can continue to move the needle on a solution to their cause or to simply forward their efforts whatever they might be.

Here at Epic Capital, our focus is on Social Outreach. We give our time, talent and treasure to organizations that give back to individuals that are less fortunate, poor or impoverished. This is meaningful to us because we feel extraordinarily blessed for all of the things we have in our lives, and the opportunities that we have been given to do work that we love. In fact, we have made our passion for giving back a part of our corporate mission. We call it E3. We give 1% of our time through our quarterly Epic Outreach program, serving however needed through local charities. We give 1% of our talent through administering financial planning days for organizations and churches that serve lower-income households. And we give 1% of our gross revenue through our Epic Impact grant program to local community and global organizations that meet our social outreach criteria.

It’s extraordinary, the impact one can make by touching the life of another through giving. I have written about this same subject before (see “Taking out and Putting Back” March 4, 2014 http://goo.gl/OjW69Y) as it is something that we discuss often with our clients who are philanthropically minded. I believe it’s simply in our DNA as a firm, not just monetarily but whole-heartedly. And we think #GivingTuesday is an excellent opportunity to reflect on those charitable organizations that resonate with us the most, and to take action by making an additional donation. Also, it is an excellent way for you to learn what other charitable organizations resonate with other people, people you know, and people you may not know. Spend some time on LinkedIn or Twitter and see the posts that others write regarding their favorite charities and the reasons behind why those organizations are meaningful to them. It’s amazing; it’s heart-warming.   Simply put in #GivingTuesday in the Twitter search field and see the Tweet feed. Every single second someone is shouting out their favorite charity. Again, incredible. What a great way to put a few new charities on your radar for future volunteer opportunities.

I’ll end with this, if you haven’t yet given to any charity today, please strongly consider it. Your donation really will make a difference, because every dollar counts in the life of a non-profit. And I know first hand, every single dollar is appreciated. And it is the life of someone who is served by that organization that will appreciate it even more.

Tags: Current Events, Estate Planning, Philanthropic Planning, Tax Planning