Business Owners Tap Skills to run Non-Profits

Charitable giving is on the rise, thanks in part to business owners who harness experience running a for-profit company to launch projects aimed at the greater good.

After a two-year decline, charitable donations rose 3.8% in 2010, with individuals, corporations and foundations donating about $291 billion dollars, according to the most recent report from Giving USA Foundation, a research organization that publishes data about charitable giving in the U.S.

Among the givers are business executives who have garnered large fortunes by successfully launching a new company on the stock market, as well as small-business owners who tap into their entrepreneurial skills to start a nonprofit.

I spoke with both types of business owners and found a common thread: Their positive outlook and enthusiasm to give back influenced others to get involved. In the process, they saved lives and created positive change in the world.