This week, SW Advisory Board member Jacki Zehner, otherwise known as Purse Pundit, interviews Kathy LeMay, author of The Generosity Plan.

1. Kathy, congratulations on your first book, The Generosity Plan: Sharing Your Time, Treasure, and Talent to Shape the World. It seems like the perfect timing for this book as now more than ever we need everyone to be doing more to help those in need. The financial crisis has turned in to an economic crisis, natural disasters seem all too frequent, and the numbers of people living in poverty continues to grow. What do you hope to achieve by writing this book?

By writing The Generosity Plan I am hoping to help people from all walks of life unleash their gifts in support of the causes and issues they care most about. In the last decade, philanthropy has come to be see by many as big names, big causes and big wallets and in many circles viewed as a vocation or a profession. The Generosity Plan aims to bust open the philanthropic world and bring it back to its truly expansive and inclusive definition. The betterment of humanity belongs to each of us. When we live and lead our most generous lives I believe we'll see the world we know is possible.

2. You are so right Kathy, I think the word Philanthropist has been somehow hijacked to apply only to those giving mega big bucks, when really the definition is not that at all. So is what you are saying is that we can all be philanthropists if we work in our own way to make the world better? How does one begin to see oneself as a philanthropist?

If you aim to contribute to the betterment of humanity by contributing- without personal gain- the resources you have available to you then you are most definitely a philanthropist.

I think you begin seeing yourself as a philanthropist when you prioritize giving as a habit, an action that becomes a regular part of your life. The good news is is that to really feel you are a philanthropist in action you don't need to add more to your to do list. You only need to create a plan and stick to it.

The key to being as effective as possible with the resources you have is to have a plan for your hopes, vision, intention, and goals. Without a plan you may just jump from cause to cause or support a project here, an initiative there. A plan helps you strategically invest your time, treasure and talent and allows you to audit your growth and impact.

You will most likely feel like a philanthropist when you can say: I have a vision for the world that guides me and a plan for my time, treasure and talent to ensure that I help enact changes today.

3. Time to get specific. How does one actually develop a generosity plan?

It may be tempting to start by figuring out which non profits you want to support and how much you'll give them a month or a year. Don't start there yet. You'll get to that. First, to make sure that your plan truly reflects you, your values and your hopes for the world begin with step 1: Going back to your giving history. How did you family give? Can you remember relatives or friends supporting a cause they cared about? Did they raise money for it? Volunteer? What's the most generous act you remember witnessing when you were younger? What does this act mean to you?

Here's why this is important: I worked with a woman once who sat on multiple Boards of Directors. She did a great job raising money and approving budgets but she didn't feel fulfilled in the work.When we went back she remembered that as a child her parents had her read to an ailing relative. Every Sunday she read to her aunt until her aunt passed away. The light bulb went off in her head when she realized that this is as generous an act as writing out a big check to a charitable organization. She then decided to start volunteering in nursing homes to carry on her family's legacy of giving back.

Go back first. Explore your roots. This will help your plan have great heart and continuity.

4. Kathy you have been our family’s philanthropic advisor for some time now, and one of the biggest things you helped me with is learning to say no. No to giving money and no to giving my time. What advice can you offer to the many people who try to be all things to all people philanthropically?

Saying no is a gift. If you have a clear vision of what you are trying to achieve and a plan to achieve it you need to stay the course. If a worthy group comes to you and asks for a gift but it's not a philanthropic or values match, you don't need to say yes because you have resources or because you like them. For sustainability organizations need faithful, long-time supporters. The one time "yes" can often be more harmful than helpful, especially as development officers will spend time on cultivating you for another gift that you have no intention of making. "Thank you for asking me to support your work but I have a mission and plan that I need to stick to. I'm grateful though for the work you are doing."

Don't dilute your efforts. Don't spread yourself too thin. You'll be a more effective giver as well as a role model for others.

5. How do you see the Generosity Plan becoming a Generosity Movement and how can we all help make that happen?

I think the movement will emerge as we realize that social change- and funding social change- doesn't happen alone at our kitchen tables with a stack of appeal letters and a checkbook. It happens in support of one another, exchanging ideas and helping each other be effective in contributing the gifts we have to offer.

We have already begun the launch of Generosity Clubs throughout the country and the world. Here's how it works: a group of you gather together around an issue you care about and using the tools in the book devise a plan for how you can support it. Alternately, you may form a group whose members support different causes and meet to act as sounding boards, helping one another achieve the goals in their Generosity Plan.

Then, document your results. By this summer, www.thegenerosityplan.com will offer clubs the chance to post vision statements, results, and streaming video of your club in action.

Get started today and who knows your club may got some national media attention for your work in making the world a better place by living and leading your best generous life.

Kathy thank you so much for sharing. I believe with all my heart that if we choose to live out life from a place of abundance, and not scarcity, it would be change out world for the better. It is all about generosity and your book shows us the way.