Raising a Generation of Givers: The Family Fund Challenge

Every family wants their kids to grow up kind, grounded, and grateful. Yet one of the best ways to teach those traits often gets overlooked: involving them in giving. When parents treat generosity as part of their family routine instead of an afterthought, kids learn that money can do more than buy things. It can make a difference.

Start Your Family Giving Fund
You don’t need to be wealthy to build something meaningful. A Donor-Advised Fund, or DAF, is a simple tool that lets you set money aside for charity, take a tax deduction, and then decide over time which causes to support. What makes this powerful for families is how personal it can feel. Name it after your family or your child. The Smith Giving Fund. The Sally Jones Giving Fund. It gives kids a sense of ownership and pride.

If setting up a formal DAF isn’t right for you yet, create your own version. Open a separate savings account labeled “Family Giving Fund” or even track it on paper. The key is making giving visible and intentional.

Put Giving on the Calendar
Like any good habit, giving grows when you make time for it. Schedule two family dinners each year to focus on generosity. In the spring, plan where your donations will go. In the fall, celebrate what you accomplished and decide what comes next.

These dinners become more than just a talk about money. They become moments to ask questions that build values and perspective.

• What causes matter most to us right now?
  
• How can we make a difference together?
  
• What did we learn from giving this year?
  

Over time, these conversations teach kids that wealth isn’t only about accumulation. It’s about contribution.

Turn Giving into a Game
To make generosity part of everyday life, add a little fun. Create a family “Charity Points” system. Each act of giving earns points. Kids might earn 10 points for volunteering, 5 for researching a charity, or 20 for donating part of their allowance. When the family hits a milestone, celebrate it with a reward like a movie night, favorite dinner, or day trip.

This approach keeps kids motivated and turns giving into something they look forward to instead of something they feel obligated to do.

Build Lifelong Lessons
The Family Giving Fund teaches kids more than generosity. It builds financial awareness, empathy, and teamwork. It connects money to purpose. And it reminds everyone in the family that small acts, when done consistently, add up to meaningful change.

Generosity isn’t reserved for the wealthy or for someday when life feels easier. It can start right now, with the money you already manage and the kids already at your dinner table. When you make giving part of your family’s story, you teach your children one of life’s greatest lessons: true wealth is measured not by what we keep, but by what we share.