Modern generosity from business to the breakfast table

IN THIS EMAIL

• New name, same newsletter
• Are you restricting your impact?
• Featured cause: Orphan prevention
• How to minimize OBBBA’s hits to your charitable deductions 

The Bottom Line & Beyond

You may have noticed a new name: What was once The Signature Line is now The Bottom Line & Beyond. Welcome (again)! 

Why the change? 

Our team wanted to capture the point in the generosity journey that most of our readers find themselves: Moving beyond a focus on growth and success, to a focus on impact and purpose. At some point, we start asking: “What’s it all for?” 

Good stewardship is a life-long project. The bottom line is just the beginning. 

What’s not changing is the content. You can still expect twice-monthly emails about generosity, stewardship, news, and more. 

Thanks for walking with us, 

Jessie, Editor, The Bottom Line & Beyond 

Are you restricting your impact?

When we first think of supporting a new nonprofit, we usually wonder: What program? What initiative? What specific need do they have? 

Directed, or restricted, donations are a common way to give, and they offer some benefits like: 

• Targeted impact 

• (Likely) measurable results that help you understand your ROI 

• A sense of accountability for the funds you entrusted to the nonprofit 

• A sense of connection to the nonprofit’s work 

Directed gifts are traditional, but they’re certainly not the only way to give—or even the most effective. 

If you’re looking to diversify or expand your impact, here are a few other giving strategies to consider. 

Unrestricted funding 

MacKenzie Scott is perhaps the highest-profile giver who specializes in large, unrestricted donations—no strings attached. Studies of her impact on nonprofits show that unrestricted gifts contribute to long-term financial stability and more opportunity to innovate. 

If you’ve supported a nonprofit for some time now, and developed a relationship with them, an unrestricted gift can be a powerful way to amplify your impact by empowering the team to focus on the bigger picture. 

Direct cash 

We’ve all found ourselves struggling to know if or how much to give directly to someone who asks. There’s no denying it can feel strange; but in some cases, cash is exactly what’s needed. 

Some nonprofits are experimenting with direct, no-strings-attached cash transfers to people in need. GiveDirectly, one such organization, reports that lump sum cash gifts reduce long-term poverty because the recipients can invest in education or a business, pay off high-interest debt, or upgrade their living conditions. 

Editor’s note: GiveDirectly has not been vetted by The Signatry’s team; I’ve included their research for informational purposes only. Donor advised funds may not make grants that benefit specific individuals; because of this, The Signatry does not make grants to direct cash nonprofits like GiveDirectly. 

Seeds for sustainability (Or, funds for fundraising) 

While ratings organizations like Charity Navigator are fair to look for a low budget percentage spent on fundraising, fundraising is vital for any nonprofit that wants to make a long-term impact. 

That’s why one of our donors directs his giving almost exclusively to fundraising departments at young, promising nonprofits. He described it as seed money. If he sees a mission worth supporting, he wants to equip that team to show others exactly why. 

Featured Cause: Orphan Prevention

Prevention? 

Yes, prevention. Many cases of family separation are economic, not due to domestic violence or a death in the family. 

That’s equally true of the U.S. foster care system. For example, did you know that simply getting a bed for a child can be the thing that keeps a family together? 

CarePortal is a tech-based nonprofit working to connect local church communities with specific, real-time family needs in their own neighborhoods. They’ve written for us about the Church’s unique role in caring for orphans. 

Recently, they also shared how this high calling is especially powerful during February, Black History Month: 

“Black children continue to enter foster care at nearly twice the rate of white children; a disparity tied to systemic challenges that place disproportionate strain on Black families. 

“At CarePortal, we believe honoring Black history also means showing up for Black families today. By connecting communities to real-time needs, we work to prevent unnecessary family separation and support families before crisis becomes loss. 

“We celebrate the history that was made, and we commit to helping shape a more just future for the next generation.” 

How to minimize OBBBA’s hits to your charitable deductions 

New tax rules are making small, regular gifts less tax-efficient. 

Starting in 2026, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act restructures charitable deduction rules, creating minimum floors on deductibility (0.5% of AGI for individuals, 1% of taxable income for corporations) and capping benefits for top-bracket donors. 

Charitable deduction bunching is one way you can reduce the effects of these limits. Consider bunching multiple years of planned giving, using a donor advised fund (DAF) to maximize deductions, then recommend grants out of the DAF on your usual schedule. 

Individuals and corporations can bunch charitable deductions with a DAF. Learn more on Reuters. 

You can also see an example scenario for the benefits of charitable bunching on our website.