Charities Review Council - About Great Givers

Great Givers is a unique statewide project providing tools and resources for educators to encourage youth philanthropy and skills of informed giving - being active and knowledgeable in giving and in their communities. With the only informed giving youth program in the country, over 1,000 people nationally and internationally from schools, religious academies, youth-focused programs, nonprofits and charities downloaded the program.

Youth will discover and activate their natural philanthropic spirit and will be encouraged to be GREAT GIVERS - giving of their personal resources with both heart and head. Great Givers aims to help establish habits of giving and volunteering early in life to ensure children remain givers of time, talent and treasures throughout their lives.

Past, Present and Future
Read more on where we've been and how we started, where we are now, and how we would like to carry on with the program in the future.

Past
In 2002, the Charities Review Council began the Great Givers program. The Council admires the efforts that Michigan, New Jersey, and Indiana have taken through statewide initiatives and utilizing multiple strategies aimed at reaching youth in schools and community organizations through programs and curriculum about philanthropy. The Council felt the need to implement a similar statewide initiative and followed through to incorporate the Great Givers program.

Present
We've received over 400 downloads and over 1,000 requests for the curriculum were from charities, nonprofits, public and private schools, and others since Great Givers' debut. The Council is exploring ways to improve the curriculum for other individuals and groups.

Future
The Council hopes to expand Great Givers into a program based on the latest local and national research about youth philanthropy. Giver Givers aims to:

Focus its program towards an array of educators
Provide support for parents, grandparents and other family members in their efforts to educate and engage children in informed giving
Be responsive to the needs of schools, organizations and families in Greater Minnesota as the program expands

IN THIS SECTION
Great Givers FAQ

Thank You

Our Funders

We are grateful to the generous support of funders who have made Great Givers possible: the Hugh J. Andersen Foundation, the Mardag Foundation, the Laura Jane Musser Fund, the Dwight D. Opperman Foundation, the Surdna Foundation, and the 3M Foundation.

Our Partners

We are grateful for the input, time and dedication of the organizations who helped develop the Great Givers program: Benilde-St. Margaret's, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities, Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Hands on Twin cities, Yo! The Movement, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, and Fraser.