Lifetime Giving Potential

Using the worksheet here, note how much money you gave to nonprofits last year - or choose a figure that represents how much you would like to be giving. Multiply that amount by the number of years you expect to continue to live (for example, if your life expectancy is 88 and you are 48 now, multiply your giving by 40 years). The total represents your future giving.

Add to that an estimate of how much you've given away up till now. The result shows your total giving during your lifetime:

Now consider how much of your assets you expect to direct to nonprofits you care about after your death. Add that amount to your total lifetime giving.

Now think about how much giving you could influence in your lifetime. This includes the amount you might fundraise, plus the amount of giving others might do because of your influence. Add this to our total above.

Reflection questions:

1. How does this expand your view of what your giving could achieve?
2. Try experimenting with different figures. Your session will save three previous complete calculations below.
   What happens to the total if you stretch your future giving just a little bit? Or considerably? Or if you become an effective advocate of bold giving?
3. What might you accomplish if your lifetime giving - not just of money, but of your time and talents as well - were focused towards a few specific goals?

Click to print