Welcome to Cultivating Generosity,

a Rad Philanthropy Newsletter

Welcome to Cultivating Generosity, the newsletter to help you create a values-driven, joyful, and intentional giving plan. Here you'll learn about ways to give, you'll receive prompts to help you hone in on your giving philosophy, I'll keep you up to date about news and trends in giving, and we'll have a fun time while we're at it.

I think like many folks, I've been feeling a bit crummy the past few weeks. For me, the antidote to most not-good feeling things is moving. Getting my body moving. Doing something. Doing anything. Coming into this year, which I knew would be one of uncertainty and change, I decided my motto would be "keep it moving" so that I could weather whatever happened. Well, much I did not predict came my way, but here I am.

One of the biggest surprises I've had was feeling (somewhat) politically optimistic for the first time in quite a while. Those of you that know me well know I used to spend a lot of personal time devoted to my civic duty but have increasingly limited my involvement over the years as I became yet another disaffected leftist (IYKYK). Unexpectedly, I found my first local contract just a few months after my big move to New Mexico this year. You can read about the work we're doing at New Mexico Open Elections to increase inclusivity around elections and decrease political polarization in an interview we did with Unite America here. Getting out of my bubble, I learned that many people with very different beliefs are working together across the country on this issue, making me think democracy may just stand a chance. Staying curious and humble, taking action, finding community, and connecting with people different than you over a shared purpose can all be antidotes to what ails you. May you be well.

- Perry Radford, Founder and Principal, Rad Philanthropy.

Learn Prepare for the worst

Spooky question: what will happen to your stuff, your assets, your money, when you die? Answer: you'll haunt it for all of eternity.

But really - 70% of people don't have a will. If you aren't ready to jump into full-fledged estate planning (which is expensive), here are a few ways you can get your financial house in order:

• Choose your beneficiaries. If you have a retirement policy, any bank accounts, investments, insurance or any other type of financial vehicle - name a beneficiary through your account so that they may be contacted in the event of your death. These can be your family, friends, and even non-profits. Note that if you are married your state may have laws pertaining to how much you can leave to those other than your spouse.

• Create a holographic will. A holographic will is a will handwritten by YOU with your wishes for what should happen to your stuff. Each state has differing rules, so please do a modicum of research before you cramp your hand up writing this thing out. And put it somewhere where people will find it...not just under your couch cushion.

• Find the right tools to begin the process. Freewill.com is a great place to start not just your will, but other critical documents like your medical directives.

Rad Reflections The Acts of Giving: Treasure

One of the best ways for people to think about how they want to give back is to start with the basics: the Acts of Giving. The Acts of Giving are the basic actions you can take to give. As you think about how you want to make an impact or influence with your giving, I encourage people to think about how each act may help them with different philanthropic goals.

Giving treasure is the act of giving money, and what most people think of first when it comes to giving. Spoiler alert: there are many other money-less ways to give and make a difference - which I'll talk about in future issues. When it comes to giving away your treasure, here are some ideas to help you do it in the way that makes the most sense for you:

• Decide how much you want to give in advance. Maybe it's a percent (1-3% of your net income is a great place to start) or a set amount like $100 a month. Often times this kind of planning will help you give more and stay committed to your giving ideals.

• Lean on giving treasure when you're too busy to help in a hands-on way.

• If there's a cause you care about and know you like to give to regularly, set up a recurring gift. It's easier for you and helps the organization predict their income.

• You don't only have to give your treasure to non-profits - gifts to friends, family, mutual aid, political campaigns may not come with tax incentives but still make a difference for the communities and issues you care about.

Playtime with Perry

You may already know I'm a public transit junkie and consider Los Angeles' Union Station my personal house of worship. In light of that, I'm sharing some fun facts about travel and transit in LA.

• It was my great privilege to serve as a Docent on the Metro Arts Docent Council and give public tours of the extensive public art in LA's Metro system. Each light rail/subway station (101 and counting!) and other key sites have public art that speaks to the site it's on or the nature of travel. Traveling by train in LA isn't just fun, easy, and cheap - it's culturally enriching!

• There is a piece of art at Union Station that has two gobsmacking secrets hidden in it. One, what looks like a few flashing lights actually reveals the golden ages of train travel and Hollywood. Two, when you whisper to the piece, it plays music and bits of classic movies. From Tarzan's scream to classic jazz to your favorite movie songs - it does it all. If you want to unlock its secrets - email me.

• Public transit serves many of the special neighborhoods in LA. The NY Times did a great write-up on how to enjoy a visit to them by train. Link to a PDF of it below!

Did this newsletter leave you with any burning questions about your giving? Drop me a line at perry@radphilanthropy.com and I'll help you out.