BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Registration is now open for Giving With Purpose, a massive open online course (MOOC) on effective charitable giving created by the Learning by Giving Foundation in partnership with Northeastern University. Anyone over the age of 13 may register now. The course is scheduled to begin Spring 2014.
The free course was developed to raise awareness among the general public about effective charitable giving practices. Weekly lessons will introduce tools and strategies to help donors at any level invest in high-performing, community-based nonprofit organizations. Over 10,000 people participated in the first Giving With Purpose course in 2013 and distributed $130,000 to 40 U.S. nonprofit organizations.
“I am invested in sharing my passion for philanthropy with the next generation of philanthropic leaders," said Doris Buffett, founder of the Learning by Giving Foundation. "Giving With Purpose exceeded all of our expectations last summer and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to offer it again this spring with Northeastern University.”
“The class helped to make me more cognizant of how and why I was giving. I put more energy into both time and money for two local charitable efforts and took on governance responsibilities in one. I focused my giving on impacting lives in my community and in my region,” said Margaret Moree, a 2013 participant in Giving With Purpose.
The course is led by Northeastern University’s Social Impact Lab Director Rebecca Riccio. Northeastern joined the project as a university partner for this second offering of Giving With Purpose and will offer a credit-bearing version of the course in Fall 2014.
"It is a challenge and responsibility that we work together to create a global culture of philanthropy,"said Joseph E. Aoun, President of Northeastern University. "This MOOC is leading the field with its model of experiential philanthropy and will drive new ways of giving across platforms, continents, and generations."
Giving With Purpose is comprised of six compact classes and a peer-review process for evaluating participant-nominated charities. Lessons are complemented by interviews with guest speakers Warren Buffett, Doris Buffett, Cal Ripken, Jr., Soledad O’Brien, Ben Cohen & Jerry Greenfield and Tom Werner; and participants put their learning into action by awarding the Foundation’s money to local nonprofits. This Spring’s course will also feature new guest speakers and a new platform.
About the Learning by Giving Foundation
Doris Buffett created the first Learning by Giving Foundation program in 2003 and has since partnered with over 30 colleges and universities around the country. Each class receives a $10,000 grant for the students to distribute to local nonprofit organizations. Through the program, the Foundation encourages the teaching of philanthropy while simultaneously making charitable investments to people and communities in need.
