The Finish Line Podcast Madison Illges, Executive Director of Mite, on the Importance of Celebration in Giving (Ep. 156)
Madison Illges, Executive Director of Mite, was brought up in a large family that modeled a heart of generosity. Before Madison was even born, her father experienced a simple but life-changing moment of joy in giving—a spark that would one day grow into a vision for helping others celebrate generosity in community. That vision became reality in 2016 when Mite was launched with a mission to make giving better.
Mite is a giving fund that helps donors connect with trusted global projects while removing the guesswork that so often makes giving complicated. Their team researches and vets development projects around the world—spanning education, health, child development, disaster relief, and more—so that givers can confidently support causes they’re passionate about. And as those projects are completed, Mite goes the extra mile to bring the stories home, showing donors how their generosity has impacted real people and communities in more than 25 countries.
Madison stepped in as executive director at a young age and for nearly a decade she has seen God use technology, creativity, and faithful obedience to multiply impact and remind us that generosity is ultimately a celebration of what He is doing around the world.
Major Topics Include:
- The Watermelon Party Story
- How advancing technology brings donors to the field
- The impact of the widow’s mite story on Madison’s life
- A deep dive into the vetting and reporting process
- How Mite discovers healthy organizations to partner with
- Analyzing an organization’s theory of change
- The beauty of community in generosity
- Celebrating God in generosity
- “Generosity loosens greed, provides an opportunity to cultivate joy, and aligns us with God’s Kingdom values.”
- “Jesus made note of what the widow gave. And it had nothing to do with how much the widow was dropping in, but it had everything to do with where her heart was in her giving.”
- “There are thousands of fantastic organizations out there that just need financial backing and a cheerleader to come alongside them and help their mission succeed. So we didn’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel.”
- “Project at Mite isn’t considered completed until it’s been filmed.”
- “People have different passion areas which may change with the season they’re in, so people can generally find a Mite project that interests them now and in the future when their interests shift.”
- “Mite is doing our best to build community within what we do, but I have also seen as I visit our donors that they are building little pockets of community on their own with what their doing, and Mite just happens to be one of the vehicles they’re using.”
- “Generosity is an opportunity to celebrate with God in the work He’s doing on Earth.”
- “We know that if you start being generous when you have little, you’re highly likely to be generous when you have much.”
- “What we are after is what Jesus was after with the widow—we’re after the heart in generosity, not the amount that they’re giving.”
- “Don’t wait to arrive. Give now and watch what God can do with your giving.”
- Mite
- The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
- Impact Africa
- The Power of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
- Journey to Generosity (JoG) with Generous Giving (see our interviews with cofounder, Todd Harper and CEO, April Chapman)
- Simple Charity (see our interview with CEO Brian Grasso here)
- Gospel Patrons (see our interview with founder John Rinehart)
- The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
- The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group
Mark 12:41-44 | The Widow’s Offering
Matthew 6:21 | Treasure from Your Heart
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
John 3:16 | God, The Ultimate Giver
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.