Four things I love about the social impact sector

I appreciate the charitable sector.  Have you ever taken a moment and thought about the value that social impact organizations bring to our communities and how they enhance our world?  I have, and here are several things that I love about the people and the work that they do.

1. Social Impact organizations serve causes that are greater than we are.  Consider missions that advance equity, eliminate poverty, improve education, advance healthcare, or save the earth.  In many cases, these organizations directly save lives or impact the health and livelihood of their clients.  And, in doing so, they impact the lives of everyone in the community.
2. Charities provide opportunities for people to help others or give back.  The reality is, most of us want a legacy that is bigger than having made a certain amount of money.  Many people look for careers that will specifically allow them to make an impact in the world.  It’s only natural to want to have a life of meaning, whether it’s through a career or though volunteerism, or through philanthropy.
3. Charities provide opportunities for philanthropy.  It’s a proven fact that people feel better from helping others and from being generous.  When we give to charities, we feel better about ourselves and about our world.  And, by giving to a charity, we can often see the impact of our gift over time.  It’s an amazing feeling to invest your time or money in a project and then see tangible proof that lives have been impacted by that project.  It’s very humbling.
4. Social impact organizations can be innovative in their approaches.  The nonprofit sector is a great proving ground for testing ideas, demonstrating value, and scaling solutions.  While there is room for improvement in this area, social impact organizations are great think tanks for solving the big problems facing our world.

This is just the beginning of some great things about the work of our nonprofit sector.  There has been a fear that changes to the tax code decreased giving to charities in 2018, but a closer look shows that we need more time to tell.  Whether there have been actual declines or philanthropy is going strong, I encourage everyone to find their own cause and start to give.  Regardless of your chosen interest- be it health, education, or social- I know first hand that every gift makes an impact.  Find your love and change your corner of the world.