About
Why GIVE
We are stewards of whatever resources we have, whether it is our time, our energy, or our money. We are also part of a larger community. How we use our resources is what we choose to put out into the world. It is what we give, what we give both to ourselves and of ourselves.
About GIVE
GIVE's mission is to provide objective information so anyone can understand their finances, how to give, and how to invest in a better world.
GIVE was started when Rebecca David saw that her clients did not understand their finances enough to understand the options available to them. Rebecca knew if her clients who had more means than most needed more support, then surely others did as well. At the same time, Rebecca saw that more people wanted to make a difference with their donations and investments, but there weren't resources for every level of wealth. There also wasn't any objective guidance, and the fear of being sold to was a barrier for everyone. Rebecca founded GIVE so that regardless of how much someone had they could find the resources they needed to manage their money in a way that gives them meaning and gives to the world.
Until recently, impact investing was only available to those who had means and now it accounts for $1 in $3 under management in the US. Investors both large and small are now choosing to invest in a way that supports who and what they want to give to, and GIVE is here to help them do it.
Why the system isn’t working
Within the current system, you can hire someone to oversee your finances as well as your investments. The more resources you have usually dictates the service you are able to receive. Though the more you have, the more difficult things can become because there are many different advisors involved and many people trying to sell to you. This means that those who have lesser means are suffering from a lack of service and information, and those with substantial means are suffering from too much information-and maybe not the right information.
As impact investing has grown there are more products and services available for every type of investor, but there are few advisors who specialize in impact investing. Impact investing can be difficult to understand especially because there is so much conflicting information about it. The industry is still struggling with the name alone, “impact investing.”
Most financial management firms have research teams that look at investments for advisors to show to their clients. The more capacity a research team has to look at investments, the more investments clients can choose from (potentially). This means that smaller firms are at a disadvantage because they don’t have the capacity that larger firms do. It also means that clients who are seeking to have a certain impact with their investments are limited by what their firm can offer them. Because impact is a new language to most financial advisors, clients are limited by what their advisor knows and what investments their advisor will be able to show them.
Lastly, there are philanthropic advisors, but they tend to be separate from financial or impact investing advisors. Essentially, firms are working within business models of what they want to offer but it doesn’t necessarily serve the client’s best interest. There is also very little guidance for individuals who want to be more philanthropic but may not have substantial means. Rebecca believes it is a mistake to think that only those who have a lot can give a lot. There are different ways to give.
Rebecca wanted to offer support and guidance for every level of wealth. She also wanted to take away the fear of being sold to and to provide a safe and inclusive space to share objective information and change the larger conversation of money from “getting” to “giving.”
About the founder
Rebecca Orlowitz David is the founder of GIVE, where she helps everyone to manage their money for a better world. Rebecca worked at Mission Markets, Veris Wealth Partners, and Stakeholders Capital before founding GIVE. She is a Certified Investment Management Analyst and holds a Series 65, Series 7, and Series 63 (nonpracticing). Rebecca served on the Junior Board of UNICEF for 10 years and regularly volunteers at the Food Bank For New York City.
Rebecca's Mom was a social worker and her Dad was a financial advisor. She likes to think she took a piece of each of them into her work. Ever since she was little, Rebecca always wanted to help those who needed it. After starting her career at a large bank, Rebecca very quickly saw that she wouldn't be happy doing this work. At the same time, she joined the Junior Board Of UNICEF and saw that this was the kind of work she wanted to do. Rebecca knew there was an opportunity to use her finance degree to make a difference, and she discovered impact investing.
Rebecca first worked at Mission Markets, which was an impact investing platform. Rebecca had the opportunity to meet with social entrepreneurs and impact investors daily, and it helped her learn the impact space. After leaving Mission Markets, Rebecca joined Veris Wealth Partners. Veris is an impact investing wealth management firm. They are pioneers in the impact investing space and in Rebecca's opinion, she learned from the best.
After four years at Veris, Rebecca founded GIVE. Rebecca knew she wanted to take impact investing to a new level. If there was one thing Rebecca learned working with UNICEF, it is that you cannot impose solutions- you have to go to the source and you have to partner with the communities you seek to help. Rebecca felt that although her work was sincere, it was limited by what products were available and what we decided was impact. In 2019 Rebecca went on a trip around the world to meet with organizations and communities to learn about what they were doing, what they needed, and what they thought.
Rebecca is now working to help everyone find meaning and make a difference with what they have. She believes that everyone deserves to understand their finances and everyone can do something to make a difference. She hasn't figured out how to solve the world's problems, but she tries to do better and learn every day.
Rebecca donates a portion of all GIVE's revenue.