How do you inspire others to give back?

Find out what they are passionate about and help them to find a way to express their passion. Once that is achieved through a process of discovery then you assist in developing a plan to achieve their goals.

Inspiring others to give back starts with leading by example. ?? Show the impact of your own actions, whether it's volunteering, donating, or simply helping those in need. ???? Share stories and testimonials that highlight the difference one person can make. ???? Use social media to spread positive messages and create a community around charitable causes. ???? Encourage small, manageable acts of kindness to show that everyone can contribute, regardless of the size of their gesture. ???? Celebrate every act of giving, no matter how small, to create a culture of generosity and compassion. ???? Remember, inspiration often comes from seeing the change we can collectively create! ????

The question at hand is how to inspire OTHERS to give. Suggesting the first step is to share YOUR story is upside down. First put yourself in front those who are philanthropically inclined. It makes no sense to wax on about something you feel passionate about if they are not inclined to support charitable causes at all. Assuming this, you must first seek to understand what is important to THEM. Fundamentally, any philanthropic investment is preceded by an understanding of what OTHERS want to achieve. If you see a potential match, then next step is to draw out of these persons how their own visions and aspirations can be achieved by investing in what you are achieving. Bottom line. It's not about you.

In my experience, the most impactful motivation can come directly from those receiving services from the donor organization. I run a small nonprofit focused on youth development through music programming. I can speak about it at length but my words are never as powerful as our supporters hearing directly from a student or her mom. That type of storytelling resonates deeply and authentically, in a world of superficiality and data.

I created weekly audio rooms to inform others about parenting a trans adult child, the challenges we face, and promoting acceptance and love. As a health and trans advocate, I teach understanding, empathy, and support, for the well-being of trans children and their families. Similarly, another for trauma survivors, discussing resilience, mindset, and perseverance. By empowering others to rise above their challenges, they can heal and grow. I inspire others by sharing knowledge, empowering them with valuable insights. This involves compassion, recognizing the humanity in every individual and offering support. It entails creating spaces for meaningful conversations, where all perspectives can be respected, fostering connection and change.

It could be argued, that the suggestion of ‘giving back’ is problematic. ‘Giving back’ implies that one owes something to someone. Not everyone is such mindset. Hence, the term ‘giving back’ is limiting by who and how one can inspire to carry out acts that will serve another. Passing it forward’, in my opinion, is much better. It does not carry the ‘owing’ connotation that might be unacceptable to some people, and is much better suited to inspire and ingrain a true, authentic pro social behaviour.

Giving back can seem like a heavy concept and also drive those who have pre-conceived ideas about what that means away - does it mean making really large donations? Does it mean a big time commitment? To inspire a diverse audience it is essential to show that giving back or doing good looks different for different individuals. For some it means working in a soup kitchen or working with children on their English, for others, it may look like driving decisions in the corporations they work at, for others it is working within the sector and developing programs and leading organizations. We can all make a difference in our own way.