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Scaling Impact in Giving
From Personal Generosity to Systems, Sponsorship, and Stewardship
In Part I, Tony Kalinowski shared a framework for deciding where and how to give.
In Part II, he goes further, showing how generosity becomes sustainable through systems, sponsorship and stewardship.
This is how he does it.
1. Use Systems to Make Generosity Sustainable
Tony does not leave generosity to emotion or end of year pressure. He treats it like a system.
At the end of each year, he reviews where he gave, how much he gave and whether those commitments still make sense.
“Should I be giving to ten charities with lesser amounts, or five charities with more significant amounts?”
He tracks commitments carefully and follows through on them. If he commits, he honors it. If something is going to change, he communicates early.
He also separates giving from everyday spending.
“I take a percentage of every piece of income I earn, and it goes directly into the giving account.”
By setting money aside in advance, generosity becomes consistent rather than reactive.
Practical steps
• Review your giving annually and adjust intentionally.
• Track commitments so generosity is deliberate, not forgotten.
• Set up a separate giving account funded by a percentage of income.
2. Use Your Business to Multiply Impact
Tony is highly selective about where his company's logo appears as a sponsor.
“You won’t see my name at the Red Cross Gala, not because they aren’t doing great work, but because it doesn’t fit my strategic giving philosophy.”
Instead, he uses his business as a tool to increase the amount he can give.
“I use the business as a means to increase my giving amount because I can use it as a marketing dollar.”
For Tony, sponsorship is not about visibility. It is about leverage. It allows him to redirect dollars that would otherwise be taxed toward causes that align with his values.
“If I can take earnings I would have paid taxes on and put them toward something with greater impact, I’m going to do it.”
Practical steps
• Sponsor only causes that align with your long term giving philosophy.
• Use business dollars to expand generosity, not replace personal giving.
• Never sponsor charitable events with the expectation of new business.
3. Vet Organizations Like You’d Vet Leadership
When Tony evaluates a charity, he looks beyond the mission statement. He asks three questions.
First, am I genuinely passionate about this outcome?
“Does the outcome create a world I want to see?”
Second, do I trust the leadership?
“Understanding the leadership is critical.”
Third, are they actually delivering results and growing responsibly?
“If they’ve delivered, I may increase support over time.”
He also pays attention to how funds are used.
“How much of your dollar actually goes to the person you’re trying to help?”
For Tony, effectiveness matters as much as intention.
Practical steps
• Support causes you would want replicated everywhere.
• Start with smaller contributions until leadership proves execution.
• Look for organizations where the majority of funds reach the mission.
4. Be Selective With Time, Boards and Meetings
Tony is honest about how he uses his time.
“For a long time, I refused board membership.”
Long meetings and governance discussions did not align with his strengths. He prefers being present in the community, mentoring, encouraging leaders and responding to real needs.
However, he does serve on boards when the environment is life giving and aligned. This recently occurred when invited to join the board at Legacy Builders.
“I get a lot from sitting in the room with them as well as giving something back.”
He also prioritizes one simple practice each year, meeting directly with the people he supports.
“Can we grab lunch? Can we grab breakfast?”
Those conversations create clarity, encouragement and often open the door for others to help.
Practical steps
• Say no to board roles that drain energy or distract from impact.
• Invest time where your strengths are most useful.
• Make space for regular check ins with organizations you support.
5. Let Purpose Drive Generosity, Especially in Retirement
Tony believes generosity becomes even more important in retirement.
“People who do not have a purpose in retirement fall into very challenging lifestyles.”
Staying engaged through service provides meaning, connection, and perspective.
“When you’re out in the community helping people, that suddenly invigorates you.”
He keeps three guiding questions in mind each day that he heard recently.
For Tony, generosity is not just about money. It is about using time, wisdom, and experience to create lasting impact.
Practical steps
• Use retirement to redeploy skills, not retreat from them.
• Choose service that creates real human connection.
• Start small and let impact grow over time.
Generosity does not scale by accident.
It scales through clarity, systems, and stewardship.
In Part II, Tony shows that giving well is not about reacting. It is about building something that lasts.
