If you’ve been donating to your favorite organizations for many years, it won’t come as a surprise that most donors are interested in deepening their support of nonprofits. In fact, according to a 2022 survey from Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy, a majority of donors intend to give more selectively to causes and organizations, as they place a higher importance on maximizing the impact of their giving.

As Brooklyn’s community foundation, we’re here to help our Donor Advised Fund (DAF) holders make the most of their personal giving and achieve their goals. As an organization, we center racial justice and community-led change in our own grantmaking, and can similarly support you in developing the values and goals that will guide your personal giving plan.

If you don’t have a DAF, you can work with us to open one. Not only can we guide you through establishing a fund, but we can also help you map out your giving process and formulate a giving plan that’s right for you. 

Our team is here to share their knowledge of local nonprofits and the issues in our communities to help you deepen your impact in your own backyard. But no matter where you want to make your investment, we can help. 

Consider Your Giving Strategy

Start by learning about best practices, like Trust-based Philanthropy, and discover effective giving strategies. Working with our Donor Services team is also an excellent way to learn how to leverage your giving to mobilize change in your community, including ways to make decisions with your partner or involve your family.  

Support Causes Close to Your Heart

Your charitable giving will be most fulfilling when you support the causes you truly care about. You’ll be more committed and better able to focus on impact if you experience the socio-emotional benefits of providing support to organizations that align with your personal beliefs and your passions, whether through advocacy, direct services, or more. If you’re not sure where to start, you can always look at our grants directory, which lists the organizations we’ve funded over the years. 

Stay Connected to Your Causes and Organizations 

Once you’ve found organizations you are interested in supporting, you can look to see if they have annual impact reports that summarize their top priorities and high level work. To stay up to date on their ongoing projects and initiatives, you can also subscribe to their newsletters or follow them on social media.

Of course, you can always look to Brooklyn Community Foundation to help you discover nonprofits and causes across in the borough. Join us Tuesday, May 16th for a webinar introducing the Bay Ridge Community Development Center to learn about their mission to meet the needs of the Bay Ridge community. Conversations like these help us to bring new audiences to the important work of our local organizations. 

As you move forward on your giving journey, feel free to consult our Donor Services team at donorservices@brooklyncommunityfoundation.org. We are happy to support you to reach your charitable giving goals and maximize your impact.