We always hear about this tech giant or that business mogul and how much their foundations gave to a charity. But what about us every day folk, how do we get to reach the pinnacle of our own philanthropic legacy or even reach a foothill or just get recognized for our efforts?
We equate a philanthropist as someone who has built a war chest of money and has given it back to a cause or movement and we recognize those types of people for their good heartiness, as though we should.
But a philanthropic legacy should not be just for the rich and famous.
The everyday person should also have the ability to build a philanthropic legacy and be rewarded, highlighted and recognized for their efforts for all to see.
Building ones philanthropic legacy should not just be about how much money you give, how big your foundation is or how much of your income goes towards a cause it should also be about ones passion for a cause and the influence they have to ensure its word gets out to people to help keep moving the cause forward no matter how big or small the cause is.
We tend to call these types of people volunteers or advocates not philanthropists. Although every cause needs volunteers or advocates to ensure its success but a lot of times nonprofit organizations have a vetting process to become a volunteer or advocate and because of that they are leaving a lot of awareness and even donations on the table.
Now I am sure every nonprofit can argue the point as to why they need to vet someone who is the face of the cause and that is fine I am not talking about those types of people.
I am talking about the everyday person who has the ability to enhance a cause or movement just by their sphere of influence, a person who in some form or another may have an emotional tie to a cause or knows someone who does and needs a platform to show their sphere of influence about that cause and how they can help and be recognized for their efforts.
I am talking about the everyday person who can wake up in the morning and feel good about themselves knowing they made a difference for the good and think what they can do today to keep feeling that emotion day in and day out as they are building their own philanthropic legacy.
These are the types of philanthropic people we are leaving behind and certainly not recognizing them for their efforts.
Nonprofit organizations seem to have blinders on in the way they look at their campaigns and focus too much on the, “who are my vetted volunteers and advocates that can help” and “what I have in my database right now that can give” instead of maybe opening up their eyes and also allowing everyone who wants to become a volunteer or advocate pitch in and help.
If the everyday person can influence hundreds or thousands or even dozens of people to a cause just by providing a platform in which they can achieve a personal philanthropic goal and be recognized for their efforts, why would we not want them as volunteers or advocates and allow them to utilize the tools to achieve those goals in order for a fundraising campaign to thrive and hit their goals?
Influence the Cause – Providing a platform for everyone to build their philanthropic legacy, one cause at a time.
Jerry Tuzil- Co-Founder
jerry@influencethecause.com
Influence the Cause 
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