What is strategic philanthropy anyways?
As October surprises us with the slow-turning beauty of fall, it’s hard to ignore that the end of the year is approaching. In philanthropy, this is the season of both asking and giving as nonprofits prepare for their year-end push, and donors sort through their finances, goals, and hopes for impact.
In a time of overflowing inboxes and mailboxes, it can feel overwhelming to know where to focus your energy. Having spent time shifting between the nonprofit and financial sectors, I see both sides clearly. The need in our communities is undeniable. AND It’s easy to feel pulled toward every heartfelt appeal; to want to help everyone, everywhere, all at once. But if we’re honest, it can also feel tiring to imagine carrying that alone.
The truth is, we can’t do it alone. But we can do it, together.
Photo by Hillary Ungson on Unsplash
Philanthropy, after all, is rooted in the love of humanity. It’s the collective effort to support and uplift one another so that we may all find our way. On the receiving end, community organizations are doing the hard, daily work of making that love visible by feeding, housing, educating, & healing. And on the giving end, many of us are doing our part to give well and know that our contribution matters.
Yet, I find myself wondering: Is there a better way to give?
If you know me, you know I’m always asking if there’s a more strategic way? One that’s less about urgency and more about alignment in which we’re allowed to feel both confident in our choices and generous in spirit.
What It Could Look Like
In my mind, strategic philanthropy will never be defined by the number of zeros on a check or by consolidating all your giving into a single cause. It will be defined by clarity.
It’s the space where what you care about meets what the community truly needs. It’s the conversation between your values and the organization’s vision. At that intersection, giving becomes not just generous — but effective and deeply satisfying.
It might look like:
Asking questions about long-term goals, not just year-end targets.
Supporting fewer organizations but engaging more deeply with them.
Giving your time, advocacy, or connections in addition to your dollars.
Building a relationship with the people and missions you support.
In other words: Strategic doesn’t mean distant. It means deliberate.
What It Doesn’t Look Like
Strategic giving doesn’t look or feel like pressure to give reactively to every urgent email or social media plea. That’s not sustainable for anyone. It doesn’t look like measuring your worth (or an organization’s) in transaction totals. And it doesn’t feel like guilt.
When giving becomes performative or pressure-filled, it loses its power. When it’s grounded in purpose, it creates ripple effects that last well beyond a single season.
A Shared Responsibility
Both donors and nonprofits want the same thing: clarity and confidence. We all want to know that our contributions of time, talent, or resources are truly making a difference and that we can count on that experience when we work together.
This season could be an invitation to slow down and to find the work that resonates most deeply. Because the heart of strategic philanthropy isn’t in the transaction — it’s in the conversation.
Maybe that’s where the next chapter of generosity begins.