I know many of us contributed to the presidential campaigns, and are taking a much deserved breather from donations, volunteering, and mass-emails.

Still, I want to share this with all of you both because it features Millennium Promise and because, as the holidays approach, many of us will be want to continue to give, and this has some great advice.

Here is the article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/giving/11INVEST.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Millennium%20Promise&st=cse&oref=slogin#

Here are some excerpts:
"Very savvy individuals treat their giving like their financial portfolios — they do due diligence and research," said Lisa Philp, head of philanthropic services at J. P. Morgan Private Bank. "Charitable decisions are close to the heart, often emotional, but they still call for financial savvy."

Charitable organizations must file I.R.S. Form 990, she said. Copies are available to the public at guidestar.org. "People can look at comprehensive information over the past several years," she added. Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org) and the Better Business Bureau (us.bbb.org) also offer information on many charities, including descriptions of their work, financial reports and sources of funds.

"As a donor, be directed but also open to things you haven't thought of," Ms. Philp said. "As an investor, you want your financial portfolio to be diversified. It's the same with giving. You might think of a university or a museum, but you might also want to think about alternatives and start-ups. Have a mix of things in your program."

Also, one site I encourage you to look at is Kiva.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiva.org), a San Francisco-based organization that allows you to lend money via the Internet to microfinance institutions in developing countries which in turn lend the money to small businesses.

These are just some ideas to keep in mind (and share with friends) as the holidays approach, and we try to remember how bless we are, even in these uncertain times.