I’m intrigued by this meme, even though I’m pretty sure its some sort of spam. But it’s not about a mortgage or a penis enhancement, so I’ll play along. Especially since, as a nonprofit fundraiser, I’ve got a vested interest in how people think about giving.

Really, I’m genuinely interested in what motivates people to make donations — this time of year, it’s always a mix of holiday spirit, holiday guilt, and tax implications. I’m not sure that any one is better or worse than the others, so long as your not just hording your money away or using it to buy more useless gadgetry. I got into a conversation on Christmas eve about Bill Gates… my relative says that no person should have that much money, and I say Bill Gates (through the Gates Foundation) does an impressive amount of good with his fortune. Yes, it still boggles the mind that there are people who are personally worth more than the GDP of some small nations, but there will always be people who have more than others… to me, it’s what you do with it that counts. And it’s also about what “more” means to you — alot of us put charitable giving at the bottom of our priority lists, because we can’t “afford it.” (Yes, I’ve been guilty of this.) But, really, even the smallest donation can mean alot to an organization helping people in need. It sounds hokey, but I’ve been there — $5, $10, $25, $50… all of them make a difference to the bottom line.

So, alright, I’ll step down from my soap box and give you my five…

1 – Isles, Inc.: Based in Trenton, N.J., Isles’ mission is to foster more self-reliant families in healthy sustainable communities. When I think about where I want to give, I think about nonprofits from the inside out — not just what they do, but how they operate. Isles sets the bar very high. From healthy lifestyle programs, to job training, to developing affordable housing, the organization operates a gamut of interwoven programs that take a comprehensive approach to help end the cycle of poverty. On top of that, they generally meet their ambitious goals, they work with a lean staff (while still being smart about administrative, fundraising, and technological needs), and they hold themselves accountable for what they do.

2 – Mercy Vocational High School: Based in North Philadelphia, Mercy combines Catholic education (although it’s not affiliated with or funded by the Archdiocese) with vocational training programs in carpentry, electricity, HVAC, cosmetology, culinary arts, business education, computer technology, and nursing. These kids don’t have the luxury of “helicopter parents” to chew their breakfast cereal for them and fill out their college applications — but thanks, at least in part, to Mercy’s hands-on application and family environment, they get the support and opportunity to become promising young adults.

3 – Antioch University, Los Angeles: My M.F.A. alma mater, a place that is at once extremely diverse and constantly striving for even greater diversity and inclusiveness. Antioch believes that the student, the academic, the writer should be a part of the community — and I wish more places felt that way. There are universities here in Philadelphia that sit like little oases of wealth and education, unconcerned with the city’s racial and economic problems. Being affiliated with Antioch makes me feel connected to a large world of writers, thinkers, and activists. I wish more institutions were like that.

4 – The Mad Poets Society: This is an organization that does more for poets & poetry in the Delaware Valley than any other single organization. Period. A year-round schedule of poetry readings in each of the five counties. Programs for school children. A massive (not to mention ever-impressive) poetry journal. Mad Poets events connect poets across genres and generations — the energy at these readings and meetings is visceral. And talk about lean. The MPS runs almost entirely on the sheer will of one woman, Eileen D’Angelo, who does indeed have a day job.

5 – Is a tie for all the other organizations that I admire: Project H.O.M.E., The Village of Arts & Humanities, the Painted Bride Art Center, the Mural Arts Program, the Arts & Spirituality Center, and all the others out there doing great work that I can’t think of right now.