When a colleague recommended The Art of Giving as a candidate for review, I was initially hesitant. I thought that a book co-written by Charles Bronfman, one of the wealthiest men in the world and the CEO of his family’s charitable foundation (also one of the largest in the world), would be of most interest to people who would be similarly endowed to demonstrate their personal philanthropy at a significant monetary level.

In other words, I thought this was a book for super-rich folks. It’s not that financial advisors do not have wealthy clients who are extremely charitable or that advisors themselves do not contribute significantly to the social good. It just seemed like this book’s audience would be relatively small.

How wrong I was. This book is directed at everyone who has any desire to give something back to society — from the recent college grad working at her first job or the mid-level manager with modest income to the highly paid C-suite executive, the Bay Street broker with six- or seven-figure bonuses, the business owner with a stash of cash (and time) resulting from the sale of his company, the “old money” crowd and the retired grandmother looking to renew her sense of self-worth now that the grandchildren are grown.

In fact, if there is one message that permeates this book, it would be this: give in any way you can — just be thoughtful about it so that your contribution has the greatest impact possible.

To assist in making your choices, the book is divided into these three parts:

> Part 1: The Donor. There are moral and philosophical questions that should be answered before you start giving your money, time, energy and passion. Do you want to feed the homeless or fight the causes of homelessness? How do you feel about the “old philanthropy,” in which donors gave “largely out of obligation, routine, guilt, if not to gain influence, social standing or a place in heaven” vs the “new philanthropy,” in which donors “give [purposefully], think strategically” and “rely on the focus and rigour of for-profit businesses to enhance the effectiveness of their philanthropy”?

By careful consideration of several criteria, you should emerge with a much clearer picture of your niche as a philanthropist. That is, where there is the best fit between you, as a person, and the hundreds of thousands of opportunities you could support.

> Part 2: The Partners. Armed with a better understanding of what you want to contribute, the next question is how to go about doing so. There are two basic options: start something yourself or join forces with an existing organization.

The first option allows you to write the rules, so to speak, and create something in your image. But going this route also entails the challenges that accompany all startups — to the point at which the effort to get things up and running can distract you from delivering your intended benevolence for some time.

The second option, partnering with someone already active in your chosen cause, has the benefit of immediacy. But convenience is often accompanied by compromise because you have to accept the organization’s policies, which may not align with yours.

> Part 3: The Gift. Although a gift of your time or professional expertise can often mean as much to a non-profit operation as your chequebook, this section assumes your support will be in cash and, therefore, outlines the various options for giving, ranging from capital gifts and endowments to project funding.

In keeping with the ideology of the “new philanthropist,” this section also stresses the importance of having measurable results by which to assess the success of the supported organization and the impact of your donation.

The final chapter is a summation of the book’s contents, presented in the form of 20 questions.

Overall, The Art of Giving is a must-read for anyone advising others on the charitable use of their financial resources.