Time, Talent, Treasure, and Testimony: The Four T's of Philanthropy
As published in Uplift’s June Newsletter.
Time, Talent, Treasure, and Testimony: The 4 T’s of Philanthropy.
Philanthropist was a title that I was skeptical would ever apply to me. This term conjured an image of people who do not hold my social identities of being a young, Black, woman who does not possess great wealth and who went into the field of student affairs which is not known for generating great wealth for its employees. It was not until I moved to Nashville, TN that my definition of what it means to be a philanthropist changed. A co-chair of a women’s leadership program informed us that just by giving, whatever we could give, that we are philanthropist.
Her statement made philanthropy and the status of being a philanthropist accessible. As I worked with nonprofits, I began to understand that the act of giving is powerful no matter if you are giving $1.00 or $1,000,000. Your giving matters to you, the nonprofit, the people served by the organization, and to the cause.
I investigated the connection between Black Americans and philanthropy and realized that Black people have a rich culture of charitable giving and that how I had seen my community give throughout my life was philanthropic but was never labeled as such. We have a long history of prominent women philanthropists in my hometown of Portsmouth, VA including my mother who has always given back what she could to those of need in our community. All of this makes me eager to help people, especially women and BIPOC women, shape and reshape their thoughts around philanthropy and claiming their role as a philanthropist.
During the leaner years, I could not donate much money to an organization, but I could give in other ways. When I was educated on the 4 T’s, this framework altered how I felt about my ability to engage with nonprofits. We all have gifts to give and they all are not be in the form of money. Let us examine the four T’s:
Time: It is our most precious resource and crucial to the success of nonprofits. Volunteer time is needed to complete programmatic and operational tasks. As of February 2024, as calculated by The Independent Sector, the current estimated national value of each volunteer hour is $31.80 (*). Time is money and volunteers are contributing in valuable ways.
Talent: You have natural aptitude or skills that you can donate to a nonprofit. Perhaps you are an accountant and choose to serve as treasurer on the board of directors. An educator, who steps in to lead the curriculum committee for the afterschool program. You have a knack for aesthetics and take on decorating the office space. If you are a social media maven, volunteer to handle this aspect of marketing. As a lobbyist, you help members develop advocacy skills. You save an organization money by volunteering your expertise because most nonprofits cannot afford to hire staff for these duties. Do what you do best or contribute your professional skillset for a cause.
Treasure: Nonprofits need money. Give what you can when you can. Release the pressure to go beyond what you can reasonably afford. Like everyone else, you have expenses. Be fiscally responsible with your giving the same way you are with other aspects of your finances. Act your wage when it comes to giving and please don’t succumb to shiny calls to action. This will help you to remain a cheerful giver.
Testimony: This is your story. Your story is valuable. If you have a testimony related to the organization’s cause or have been impacted by the work of the nonprofit, offer to share it with others. Speak at an event, write a blog post, do an IG Story, meet with donors, or allow your image and a quote to be used as a part of a direct mail campaign. Stories are moving and motivating. Stories entice others to get involved. Your story could serve as inspiration to others by helping to remove stigma, reminding them that they are not alone, and to get involved.
Time, Talent, Treasure, and Testimony are the four T’s of giving. Philanthropy can mean different things to different people and you get to decide how you give. When you look at your organizations of interest, come up with a giving plan. For instance,
Nonprofit #1- Treasure, donate to the annual fund and attend the spring fundraiser
Nonprofit #2- Testimony and Talent, be a panelist at the fundraising luncheon and use your skills as a graphic designer to create marketing materials
Nonprofit #3- Time- volunteer to serve water during the annual 5K
All four T’s are vital to a nonprofit’s success. You do not have to wait to become a philanthropist. Start making a difference today just as you are with what you have to give.
(*)https://independentsector.org/value-of-volunteer-time-2021/
Thank you to Uplift for having me as a guest columnist in your June newsletter. Uplift is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to uplift women by investing in them, especially in times of crisis. As women, Uplift believes that we have a responsibility to unite, without judgement, to help each other through life’s toughest times. Every penny is used to support those in need.