Katie Couric calls it "
The American Spirit of Giving." So far, 58 billionaires have pledged to give at least half their wealth to charity. (Check out
givingpledge.org.) The numbers are so impressive, it’s hard to wrap your brain around it. (Learn about
The Gates Foundation.) Then again, that is the spirit of giving - an immeasurable act of the heart. Case in point: Carlo Garcia.
Living Philanthropic is Carlo's diary of micro-giving: "giv[ing] to charity every day for a year...on [the] belief that you don't have to be rich in dollars to make a difference, you only need to be rich in spirit."
Your organization can also harness the power of micro-giving by holding collection drives (from food to toys) or promoting volunteering at places that give. (I was fortunate to volunteer at
The Greater Chicago Food Depository.)
Giving and receiving also poses questions of business ethics: gifts can "potentially influence important business decisions." Inc.'s Tim Donnelly writes on How to Set an Employee Gift Policy. Organizations should (1) pick a dollar limit (gifts greater than the amount should be reported), (2) talk with vendors (about your gift policy, encouraging gifts such as fruit baskets that can be quickly shared), (3) communicate the policy (to all employees clearly). See the
full article.