People and organizations make a difference through philanthropy in many ways and through a number of different causes.
The same rings true no matter the amount given. Philanthropists, or those who give of their time, talent, treasure, and testimony, come in all shapes and sizes. From giving million-dollar gifts to sharing a meal at a homeless shelter, many of us give in some capacity. Some fully direct their giving, while others who wish to institutionalize their philanthropy may need more assistance and guidance.
Enter harp-weaver, a philanthropic consulting firm established in 2010 that provides philanthropy advice, mission alignment, and foundation and grantmaking management to individuals, families, foundations, and corporations. Created by philanthropy and investment expert Teresa Araco Rodgers, harp-weaver provides advice, guidance, and a helping hand to people and organizations who want to strategically invest and maximize their giving to the causes that they care most about.
But harp-weaver isn’t just about serving clients who want to strategically give. It also seeks to provide 1) Thought leadership regarding philanthropy and giving 2) Share resources for anyone interested in learning more about philanthropy 3) Purposefully inspire people to think about their philanthropy and be inspired!
One example of that thought leadership is a collaboration with the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania on The Guidebook to Aligning Financial Investments to Improving the Lives of Women & Girls. According to the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, giving to women’s and girls’ organizations constituted only 1.6% of overall giving in 2017. So how can philanthropists and investors give more to improve the lives of women and girls? harp-weaver, along with several other collaborators, dug into research and data to compile a comprehensive guide about this topic. Feel free to check it out and learn more about improving women and girls’ lives.
And it’s not only thought leadership and strategic advice. harp-weaver wants everyone to become more informed about giving back. So, it invested in this idea by creating a free resource guide, with books, blogs, terminology, and other resources for giving on harp-weaver’s website. Want to raise children who give back? harp-weaver shares a couple of resources dedicated to children. How do you give back during a disaster? Check out the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and the Council on Foundation's guide to giving, also listed on harp-weaver’s website. Wanting a basic understanding of tax language, vehicles for planned giving, and what a public charity is? harp-weaver has that too.
Finally, if you want to be personally connected to meaningful stories, there’s Night Out with Meaning, which occurs three times every year. Since 2011, every Night Out with Meaning event hosts an inspirational storyteller and invites women to connect, learn, and find meaning in personal giving. Featured speakers have shared stories about overcoming bias, health challenges, losing loved ones, ending gun violence, tackling local environmental issues, and so much more. Night Out with Meaning gives women in all stages of life opportunities to engage with one another and become invested in philanthropy.
There are many ways to give back and make a difference. Whatever your wish or capacity, harp-weaver has tools and resources that will help guide your philanthropy. And if you want to learn more, feel free to reach out to us and set up a time to talk! We want to grow the capacity and strategy of givers so that everyone can find joy and meaning in giving back.