Charitable Giving 101: How to Make the Most of Your Donations

For many of us, this holiday season is the first “normal” one we’ve had in years. That means our annual traditions of wrapping gifts, planning delicious holiday meals, and celebrating with our loved ones are all the more special. Another way we can savor the season and show our gratitude is by setting some time and money aside for our favorite charitable causes. 

Two guests join us for this special episode to talk about the best ways to give to charity and really make a difference with our donations, no matter the amount we can give. First is Valerie Jones, a Certified Fundraising Executive who has spent more than 25 years raising money for charity. She’s also the founder of her own boutique fundraising consulting firm, Valerie M. Jones Associates, and the author of the book, “Nonprofit Hero: Five Easy Steps to Successful Board Fundraising.” Jean and Valerie talk about how we should decide which causes to prioritize, what research we should do before giving to a nonprofit, and how we can make donating more of a community effort. 

Our second guest is Adam Nash. Adam is the co-founder and CEO of Daffy, a nonprofit that helps people donate through its donor-advised fund (DAF). He also sits on the Board of Directors for Acorns and Shift Technologies, and he teaches a personal finance course at Stanford University. Adam tells us everything we need to know about taxes and charitable giving: how to hit the threshold for a charitable deduction, why donating appreciated stock is good for you and your charity of choice, and how DAFs can help you donate in a tax-advantaged way.