With 2022 coming to an end, it’s a time for reflection and looking toward the future. Many of you might consider what you want to say yes to in the upcoming year, whether that’s giving your time, talents, or treasure. Understanding the motivations and values that drive your decision-making can be a great place to start when planning your charitable giving.

Capturing your motivations in writing and determining your values is key to developing your plan. This defines what has meaning to you and what the best, most effective use of your resources will be. This serves you not only when responding to requests for your time, talent, and treasure, but can also help you seek out opportunities that are aligned with your values. Plus, it’s impossible to give your time and treasure everywhere, so identifying your motivations can help focus your efforts.

As a family or collective giving unit, establishing shared values can build consensus on how to approach giving, creating definition around your “why” and support final decisions. In practice, this exercise can uncover stories and shared experiences that are influential to the individual and the family, creating space to understand one another. Documenting these stories, values and motivations is the first step in creating an intentional approach to giving.

The Omaha Community Foundation has a variety of tools and exercises available to support this exploration.

Here are a few questions to help you get started:
• If there was one issue you could impact, what would it be and why?
• Why is giving back important to you?
• What influences you to contribute to your community?

Philanthropic Services

The Omaha Community Foundation provides customized services to private and family foundations that let you focus on what’s important: achieving your giving goals. Our Philanthropic Services team partners with new and existing organizations to offer administrative support, strategic grantmaking services, and philanthropic consulting. To learn more about our services, contact us at 402-614-9531 or vanessa@omahafoundation.org.