“The Dinner Table Foundation” is suggested in the book, The Giving Family, “where you sit down as a family and collectively decide where your gifts will go.”

What you'll need: an easel or pad of newsprint, markers, memo pads and pencils for each family member, mailings requesting donations, play money (optional).

1. Decide in advance of the meeting what amount your family will give to charity.
2. If your children are young, pre-determine how funding decisions will be made. If your children are older, they may want to participate in devising the plan.
3. Set the time and place for the family meeting.
4. On the top of the easel or large pad, post the amount of money you plan to have the family allocate to charity.
5. Explain how the decisions will be made.
6. List the preferences of each family member on the pad.
7. Use the play money to help the kids visualize how the money could be divided among the chosen charities.
8. Vote on which organizations to fund and in what amounts.
9. Let the kids help you write the checks.

Note: When your children are very young, keep the meeting brief (20 minutes for kindergartners) and limit the choices of charities to three or four that are likely to appeal to them (e.g., the local animal shelter). Don't focus on the amounts to be given until they are old enough to understand money.