The Ripple Effect of Giving: How Advisors Can Multiply Their Philanthropic Impact

Written by: Heather Lindsley, LUTCF, RICP

As financial advisors, we spend our careers helping clients make intentional decisions about giving back financially. We ask what they want their wealth to accomplish, how they want to support the causes they care about and what kind of legacy they hope to leave behind.

But how often do we ask ourselves the same questions?

My experiences with philanthropy have taught me that taking a thoughtful approach to giving back is just as important as helping our clients build a strategic financial plan. Meaningful philanthropy doesn’t require the ability to write a large check. It can begin simply by paying attention to the needs around you and asking how you can help.

Financial professionals are particularly well positioned to exemplify this intentionality in philanthropic ventures. Beyond our own financial capital, we can leverage our professional networks to connect people with value-aligned philanthropy. When we make the most of these resources, the impact of what we give can extend much further than we might expect.

Generosity Can Have a Domino Effect

My passion for philanthropy began with my mother. Growing up, I watched her treat everyone she encountered with genuine kindness, dignity and respect. She exemplified the idea that when you’ve been fortunate in life, you should look for opportunities to help others. Her commitment to giving back shaped my own values and continues to inspire how I give back today.

Several years ago, my mother reminded me of this same compassion after she was in a car accident with a driver who ran a red light and didn’t have insurance. Rather than focusing solely on the damage to her vehicle or who was at fault, she took the time to learn more about the man and his circumstances. In a situation that could easily be defined by frustration and blame, my mother chose empathy. She wanted to understand the person behind the accident.

She quickly learned that his car was the only means of transportation for him, his wife and their three children. Without it, they would struggle to make ends meet. In line with the values she had always lived by, my mother saw an opportunity to help. She decided to use her resources to support the young family by paying for the repairs, helping the family keep the transportation they depended on.

That generosity I grew up watching has shaped me into who I am, and I’ve tried to pass that mindset to my own children. If we saw someone on the street asking for food, we would stop and buy them a meal. I would give my children $50 each to donate to the charity of their choice. However, there was a catch: They had to research the charities and present to me why they wanted to support that specific group.

I felt proud watching my children begin to place value in generosity based on our experiences together, just as my mother did for me. Her example continues to motivate the way we navigate our daily lives and how we support larger movements.

Philanthropy is often learned through what we see others do. As advisors, that gives us an opportunity to create a similar ripple effect. A single drop in a bucket may not seem like much, but those drops add up over time and can build into a steady stream. How we give can influence our employees, colleagues and clients to think differently about how they can help others.

Multiply What You Can Give

As I have become more involved in philanthropy through my career, I learned another important lesson: The dollar amount you contribute individually doesn’t always determine the size of the impact.

One of my earliest experiences with the MDRT Foundation, the philanthropic arm of MDRT, The Premier Association of Financial Professionals®, reinforced how charitable giving goes beyond the dollars one can invest themselves. Through the MDRT Foundation Global Grants Program, MDRT members can sponsor organizations they care about by submitting an endorsement on their behalf. That endorsement allows the organization to apply for a grant, which the Foundation evaluates based on its eligibility and charitable work.

The first organization I sponsored received $1,500. At that point in my life, I might have personally only been able to contribute around $100. By leveraging my connections and donating my time, I made a much larger contribution than I could have on my own.

I later endorsed a local organization that helps women escape human trafficking situations, resulting in a $24,000 grant. I never could’ve personally written that large of a check for work I deeply care for, but by connecting them with the MDRT Foundation, I was able to get them the resources and funding they needed. That realization altered my perception around charitable giving. Instead of only asking, “What can I give?” I started asking, “What resources can I connect this cause with?”

Make Philanthropy Part of the Conversation

Philanthropy has also created opportunities for me to learn more about the people I serve. There have been times when I have thanked clients for their business by offering to contribute in their honor to a charity close to their heart. Those conversations have introduced me to causes I might never have discovered otherwise and helped me better understand what matters to the people I work with.

The goal should never be to use philanthropy as a business development tactic. Charitable conversations can be a natural extension of the work we already do. We talk to clients about their goals, values and legacies every day. Taking a genuine interest in the causes they care about allows us to understand another part of their lives while demonstrating our own values through action.

Start With Curiosity

Whether charitable giving was modeled for you or you’re just starting to explore philanthropy, start small by raising your awareness of the needs in your community. Ask a colleague who is actively involved in charitable events who they support and why. Find a cause that aligns with your personal values or relates to a cause you are passionate about. Once you understand the need, investigate the resources already available through your workplace, community or professional organizations like MDRT.

Your contribution doesn’t always have to be financial. You can volunteer your time, raise awareness, make an introduction or connect an organization with someone who has the relevant resources or expertise to help.

As I prepare to serve as the 2027 MDRT Foundation president, helping more financial professionals recognize the opportunities they have to make a difference is one of my main priorities. Grant applications have increased approximately 30% over the past couple of years, but there is still tremendous room to expand participation in philanthropy, both within the Foundation and in the financial professional profession. My hope is for my fellow advisors to understand what becomes possible when we combine our individual commitment to giving with the collective resources available to us.

Securities and investment advisory services offered through Osaic Wealth Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic Wealth.

Qualifying membership in the MDRT Court of the Table is based on minimum sales production requirements and gross business generated within a year. Each MDRT status designation is granted for one year only.