Many NFL players are interested in starting their own charity – either to support the causes they care about or simply to use their platform for good in their communities. While that may sound simple on the surface, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with so many different organizations and causes to support. And, even if a player has a charitable cause he knows he wants to support, the question then becomes, “How?”
Maximizing philanthropic impact requires considerable strategic planning. Below are some questions to consider as you develop a plan:
- What issue or initiative is so important to you that you would drop everything you are doing to make a difference? Consider your family, spouse, friends, upbringing, experiences, values, athletic career, role as a parent, or other formative parts of your life when identifying the causes near and dear to your heart.
- How are you uniquely equipped to help solve the problem that your charity addresses? In other words, why should someone give to your charity instead of a different one?
- How much of your time (per week or per month) are you willing to dedicate toward your charity?
- How much of your finances will you dedicate toward building the charity? Would you be required to provide financial support? Or, is your role to create the organization and raise awareness given the fact that you are a well-known individual?
- Should you partner with any non-profit specialists that can guide you along this journey? If so, who? How do you know you can trust them to carry out your mission?
- How much are you willing to donate to the charity after it’s been built? Understanding how much you’d donate from your own money is the best barometer of your passion.
It’s important to note that you shouldn’t feel like you need to have the answers to all the questions above immediately. Instead, based on your unique passions, skills, and goals, use the questions as a framework to help guide your strategy and ensure you’re making the biggest impact on the causes that matter to you most.
SignaturePRO works with players to help strengthen their charitable impact and define how that ties in to their overall financial plan.
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