Charitable giving is becoming part of our everyday lives. Individuals are giving to causes that align to their goals and lifestyle choices more today than ever before. The following TED Talks are perfect for anyone looking to donate, find out how to donate, or learn how executives, CEO’s, and other individuals have used their platforms to become donators.

THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT CHARITY IS DEAD WRONGby Dan Pallotta

Pallotta’s TED talk brings a new perspective to how philanthropic efforts should be approached by charities. He addresses common beliefs about how charity money should and should not be spent (such as the belief that charities should only spend money on aid and not on advertising) and explains why these beliefs don’t work in practice. Not only do common misconceptions about the way charities spend money keep charities from growing, but they also keep society from growing as well.

THE WHY AND HOW OF EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM by Peter Singer

In this TED talk, Singer explores why people choose to give to others and how to effectively give to others. He explains how choosing the right charity makes a difference to philanthropy and how to find the most effective charities. Singer also discusses how people can still give to charity even when they think they don’t have any extra money to spare on them.

WHY GIVING AWAY OUR WEALTH HAS BEEN THE MOST SATISFYING THING WE’VE DONE by Bill and Melinda Gates

Bill and Melinda Gates are well known for their philanthropic efforts. They run the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a charitable foundation dedicated to improving lives around the world. While the Gates could have chosen to keep their wealth to themselves, they decided it was more fulfilling using it to help others. This TED talk explains why they think using their money to help other people makes the world a better place for everyone.

WANT TO HELP AFRICA? DO BUSINESS HERE by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Okonjo-Iweala challenges everyone to think about the way they help other people. She explains that while people usually donate money to provide aid, what they should do is spend this money on businesses to uplift the economy. Okonjo-Iweala believes that if the economy is improved, there will be no need to send money to provide essentials such as food and clothing because people will be able to afford them on their own. She also believes that this will give more power to the local people and allow them to work towards a less corrupt government.