Thoughtful Philanthropy

December 1 is Giving Tuesday—a global day of giving and generosity that invites people to give their time, their skills, and their money to the causes they care about.

Since it began in New York in 2012, Giving Tuesday has grown into a movement that now spans more than 110 countries. Since its launch, the event has raised more than USD 22.5 billion in the United States alone.

Whether you give on Giving Tuesday or throughout the year, thank you. Your generosity is a big part of how our communities thrive and look after each other.

What I appreciate most about Giving Tuesday is that it gives us a reason not just to give, but to pause and think about how we give. For me, that’s where thoughtful philanthropy starts: by being clear about what we care about, what we want our giving to do, and how our giving can bring more meaning to our lives and our families.

Spontaneous or strategic?

I spent a number of years in the charitable sector before coming to Nicola Wealth, and today I work alongside clients on their giving. My experience on both sides of the funding relationship has shaped how I think about giving—what makes it meaningful for donors and what provides real value to the charities doing the work.

As wealth grows, giving tends to become more layered. There are family perspectives to consider, legacy planning issues to think about, and tax and estate implications to weigh carefully. A spontaneous, gift can—and absolutely does—make a difference, but on its own it rarely addresses all of these layers. 

In my experience, giving is more meaningful, more efficient, and more impactful when it is: 

Intentional - focused on the change you want to see and aligned with the work and the approach of the charities you support.

Strategic - part of your broader wealth plan, with thought given to what it means for your family and for the charities you support, both now and in the future.

Sustainable - an activity that builds purpose and connection within your family over time, and has the potential to magnify the value of your giving over many years.

Giving with purpose

When people think about their giving, the focus is usually on which causes to support, how much to give, and when. No question those are important decisions. The structure behind the giving often comes later.

In my experience, that’s where giving can become more intentional. The right approach can bring clarity to what you want your giving to do, can create space to involve your family along the way, and can make it easier for you to support the organizations you care about over the long term. 

There are a number of ways to make a charitable gift. Many of our clients find that the vehicle that fits best with their goals is the Nicola Wealth Private Giving Foundation (NWPGF).

Making thoughtful philanthropy easier

The Foundation was established in 1996 by our founder, John Nicola. It grew out of a belief John has always held, one that has become a core value of our organization: when we grow and succeed, everyone should benefit, including our people, our clients and our communities. We call it Share the Pie.

Today, the Foundation is the donor-advised fund platform we use to support our clients with their giving. It’s transparent, straightforward, efficient, and designed to take care of the details so you can focus on what your giving means, and what you want it to do: 

Consolidate your giving - the Foundation functions like a hub for your giving. You make a single contribution and receive a single tax receipt, and from there you can support as many charities as you choose.

Get your family involved - a donor-advised fund makes it easy to involve your family in the joy of giving. It creates a space to talk about values, decide together which causes to support, and build a family culture of giving.  

Grow your gift - the funds in a donor-advised fund are invested and can grow tax-free until you grant them. Over time, that growth can turn a single gift into years of support for the causes you care about, and become a lasting part of your family’s legacy.

Donate now, decide later - the NWPGF uses a donor-advised structure: you receive a tax receipt when you contribute, while taking your time to recommend grants to charities. If you’re going through a significant financial event (selling a business, exercising options, receiving an inheritance, etc.) having that time to pause and think about what change you want to see in the world can be really valuable.

No separate administration fees - We don’t charge a separate administration fee on the assets in your fund. While standard investment management fees do apply on assets held within your fund, Nicola Wealth covers the costs of running the Foundation, so more of your giving can go to the causes you care about.*

We handle the paperwork - We take care of the administration, filings, accounting, and tax receipts, so you can focus on your giving.

Easy, Efficient, and Meaningful: How it Works

One of the strengths of the Foundation is how straightforward it is. Making a contribution is a simple process:

Step 1 - Open a donor-advised fund (DAF). Think of this as a personal "charitable account" from which you support the charities you care about.

Step 2 - Make a contribution. This can be cash or an in-kind gift of securities, real estate or, in some cases, privately held assets.

Step 3 - Receive your tax receipt. We issue your tax receipt shortly after you make your contribution. You receive the tax benefit right away, even if you haven’t decided which charities to support yet.

Step 4 -  Recommend your grants. When you're ready, let us know which registered Canadian charities you'd like to support. We’ll take care of the rest.

Taken together, this allows you focus on the bigger things: the meaning behind your giving, and the causes and organizations doing the work you care about.

Make your giving more thoughtful

This Giving Tuesday, I’d like to encourage you to take a moment to reflect on how you give, not just how much. The way you structure your giving can make a real difference—to your finances, to your family, and to the causes you care about.

You can learn more about the Nicola Wealth Private Giving Foundation on our website. To see the impact of our giving locally, across Canada, and around the world, please read our 2025 Nicola Wealth Impact Report.

If you’d like to think through your approach to giving, or incorporate it into your broader wealth plan, your Nicola Wealth advisor can be a great resource. They can walk you through your options, explain some important tax and estate planning considerations, and help you shape a robust giving plan that fully reflects what matters most to you. 

*Standard investment management and advisory fees apply to the assets held in the fund.