What is “GivingThree?” I get this question a lot. This probably explains why the “about” page of this blog is among the most visited.
“Giving three” is my shorthand description for the giving of “time, talent, and treasure.” Or, as Martin Novom prefers, “work, wisdom, and wealth.” In 2007 I was becoming more academically interested in the practice and understanding of philanthropy. Martin encouraged me to try and articulate my thoughts through a journal or a similar exercise. I decided that writing a private cache of thoughts would be of limited usefulness. However, a weblog would allow others to challenge my ideas and allow me to grow and consider alternative perspectives.
Knowing that my professional identity should not be confined to my place of work and that I didn’t want this new adventure to be about me (e.g. Ben’s Blog), I set out to create a neutral place where I could share my reflections. It’s been my experience that fundraisers (at least in North America) focus most of their attention on the “treasure” or “wealth” aspect of philanthropy, meanwhile “time and talent” or “work and wisdom” take a backseat. In creating GivingThree, my goal is to explore all dimensions of philanthropy.
