A cause strategy is our way of asking, “What’s the right way for you to give back to the world?”
Some people react to that feeling as if giving back to the world is a monumental task, and that making the world a better place is outside of their control. Others look at that question and take a simple, yet appreciated, route of monetary donations to charities in their communities or abroad.
We believe that every one of us is born with a cause strategy.
In our careers, we’ve become accustomed to talking about things we’re good at. In our hobbies, we turn to our passions to decide how to spend our time.
Yet, when it comes to giving back, we seem to hope that completing an online donation form will do the trick (or worse, we go running the other way, out of a guilt that we’re not doing enough – and in the meantime, we even forget to click submit on the online donation form!)
Don’t misunderstand our intent. Monetary donations are great – and we wouldn’t get very far in our charitable endeavours without a solid cash flow to fund them.
We just happen to think that each of us has a greater potential than what lies in our bank accounts. By looking at our strengths and our passions, we can start to see volunteering in a new way. It may be volunteering your time with an organization that means a lot to you. Or, it may mean that you can find a way to take your inner drive and come up with a big idea that could raise money for a good cause. A strategy for volunteering that is personal to you. That inspires you. Ignites you.
What causes can benefit from your strengths and passions?
We’ve recently begun working with imagine1day. They are a fantastic organization that not only builds schools in Ethiopia and helps a third world country achieve its education goals, but they do it in a way that is unique to them. Fuelled by a passion for possibility. Dedicated to developing leaders. Driven by equal parts inspiration, participation and action.
When we were introduced to them, we immediately realized that imagine1day aligned with our cause strategy:
- They believe in the power of possibility
- Their work celebrates individuals doing things locally that ultimately helps improve lives globally
- They encourage and enable individuals to harness their strengths and passions to do great things (and they’ve even coined a great term for the contributions that these individuals create: CreatributionTM!)
Your Practical Action Plan:
- Make a list that captures the causes that are important to you.
- Make a second list of your strengths and passions.
- Brainstorm ways that you can marry up the two lists.
- Identify who you can reach out to in order to get started. What are your friends involved with? Who can you talk to at the organizations that matter to you? Who can help you build your cause strategy?
And always remember:
Sometimes you might only be able to give 5 minutes of your time or spare the change in your pocket. Every little bit counts.
The world loves a giver – no matter the size of the gift.
