The Giving Pledge, which got its start on home soil with Bill and Melinda Gates' and Warren Buffett's commitment to give at least half of their wealth to charitable organizations, is gaining traction on a global scale. Twelve new signatories from countries across the world recently pledged to make philanthropy a priority. 

Richard and Joan Branson (United Kingdom), Christopher Hohn (U.K.), Andrew and Nicola Forrest (Australia), John Caudwel (U.K.) l, Dr. Mo Ibrahim (U.K.), Victor Pinchuk (Ukraine), Hasso Plattner (Germany), Patrice and Precious Motsepe (South Africa), Vladimir Potanin (Russia), David Sainsbury (U.K.), Vincent Tan Chee Yioun  (Malaysia) and Azim Potanin (India). 

When families or individuals sign up for the giving pledge, they agree to give at least half of their fortunes to their favorite charitable causes, but are not asked to fund any particular causes. Rather, the Giving Pledge is a strategy to support smarter philanthropic choices. 

"It was your logic, intuition, focus, foresight, good fortune, relentless determination and work capacity that produced the wealth," said Andrew and Nicola Forrest when discussing their decision to participate. It's these same traits that also "cause you to ask yourself, could I become a major philanthropist and responsibly use my wealth to improve communities and the lives of those less fortunate, potentially touching millions of people?"

Individuals who are providing funds for multiple nonprofit programs might find it easier to manage their large-scale efforts with fundraising management programs that can account for funds as they are disbursed to recipients.