Running the Philanthropic
Race Together

I’ve written a bit about my years coaching cross country and track and field in my  Coffee with Coach series. As a nonprofit leader and donor, I’ve regularly found myself drawing inspiration from my coaching philosophy.

One thing I keep coming back to is that the best way to coach is to run with your team. My athletes know I’m not just prescribing a workout—I’m in it with them. If they are on mile 11 of a 12-mile run, convinced they can’t take another step, I am not waiting at the finish line. I am right beside them, matching them stride for stride, proving they can do what just moments ago seemed impossible. Only by being there at the exact moment of doubt can I encourage them to stay present and keep running.

Similarly, when it comes to giving, the right advisor will help you engage deeper and encourage you to test your limits so that you can make the biggest difference possible.

My wife, Kalsey, and I recently put this approach into practice when we made our first gift to Interfaith Outreach Community Partners. The gift represented the culmination of a process that aligned our giving with our personal values and community needs.

Why Interfaith Outreach? The decision stemmed from four giving goals:

1. Get closer to our community. Interfaith Outreach is in our local community, where we have deep roots and are looking to understand how we can make an even bigger impact.
2. Grow my expertise as a philanthropic advisor. Discussing my own giving journey helps me walk the walk alongside our clients.
3. Support strong leadership. Executive Director Kevin Ward has an inspiring story and is truly making an impact.
4. Live out our faith. Our giving is inspired by our faith and this organization helps us support our neighbors in a unique way.

The Minneapolis Foundation was with us every step of the way, starting by guiding us through the Preferences experiential learning tool, which helped us identify our family’s goals and giving preferences. This was a crucial step, as we had never done this as a family, and it was important for me to try the tools we use with donors to better understand their impact.

Then, we immersed ourselves in the community. We learned about the many challenges facing our neighbors and the role Interfaith Outreach plays in supporting people across many different areas of need. We worked with our Church community to hear how Interfaith Outreach was impacting our local community, had conversations with staff, and witnessed their impact firsthand by visibly seeing the work and hearing stories of impact. By the end of the process, the decision was clear. Our kiddos have even gotten involved, supporting the nonprofit with food drives and learning why we must help others in need.

As philanthropic coaches, we are not just pointing to the path; we are on it with you. If you have charitable resources waiting to be activated, the Minneapolis Foundation can help you move from reflection to action. The tools we offer can help you get clear on your giving preferences, find nonprofits that align to those preferences, learn firsthand from those doing the work, and consider how your resources can support their missions.

Remember, you can make a difference right now in this world. You can touch someone’s heart and change the lives of others. Stop asking yourself, “What could I really do anyways?”  Your community needs you to do this work now more than ever.

Whether you’re just starting your philanthropic journey or looking to deepen your impact, the Minneapolis Foundation can help. Visit giveadvised.org to take the first step. We’re excited to run this race together!

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Chris Beach
Senior Vice President, Philanthropic Services