How to Give like a Billionaire
More, December, 2008

Former Goldman Sachs VP Lisa Endlich, 49, was a “haphazard, reactive” charitable giver—until she interviewed the world’s most successful philanthropists, including Melinda Gates, for Be The Change. Here she gleans what she learned: lessons useful to donors with big checkbooks, and donors with big hearts.

MORE: Before you write a check, now, do you ask, “What would the Gates do?”

Endlich: The biggest lesson I learned was to focus on what moves me most. The people in the book inspired me to find my passion and direct my energies to it. As is true of most life choices, giving is most effective when it comes straight from the heart.

MORE: What surprised you most about the philanthropists you interviewed?

Endlich: I knew these people cared, but I didn’t realize what a love affair they’re having with what they’re doing. Connie Duckworth gave me the feeling that nothing is insurmountable. She’s a partner at Goldman Sachs with four children, and she managed to start a charity in Afghanistan. Liz and Stephen Alderman turned a tragedy into an effort that will sustain them for the rest of their lives. These people love their causes in ways that took my breath away. I was shocked, too, by the awe they feel for the people they’re helping, who live with such great spirits in illness and poverty. I didn’t expect the humbleness I encountered among the philanthropists.

MORE: These are belt-tightening times. How can the average person express caring and generosity without cutting into her grocery budget?

Endlich: When you can’t give money—or even when you can, give time. Giving-by-doing brings you closer to the cause, and gives you a better understanding of the need. The people I picked for the book don’t just write checks; they put their lives where their money is.