Reflections on Generosity
Kick off your week with a 5-minute reflection on generosity to ground yourself as you go about your fund development tasks. Each reflection includes a question to ponder throughout the week to aid your work.
Reflections on Generosity
107: A Source of Blessing
"...And joy is the appropriate attitude with which to help others because acts of generosity are a source of blessing to the giver as well as the receiver..."
This week, I’m reading a quote from John Chrysostom from the 400 A.D.s.
Reflection questions:
If you are writing a fundraising appeal for an urgent need, step back and ask yourself these two questions.
- What will the donor feel when they read or hear your appeal?
- Does the appeal honor the subject’s dignity or, if a place or thing, the subject's significance or importance?
Reflection of the quote:
In the United States this week, a law was signed that will cut many social services. Naturally, many human services nonprofits are expecting an increase in need and are therefore preparing fundraising asks. Also, this week, the United States, there were some tragic natural disasters. Nonprofits serving in those areas are also preparing fundraising asks. Each day, across the globe, something urgent occurs that leads nonprofits to ask donors to give. How we portray the urgent need matters.
When we are faced with an urgent need involving our constituents, whether it is a person, animal, place, or thing, the way we portray the fundraising need matters. There are methods that invoke fear, scarcity, and obligation. These techniques have been described as “poverty porn.” The essential of poverty porn is outlined in this week’s quote. It invokes a reluctant sense of duty and makes the subject - our constituents - embarrassed and demeaned. They also make the donor feel fearful, angry, and resentful. In the short-term, these techniques do raise funds. However, in the long-term, donor don’t keep giving because anger is a life-sucking companion. Within this week’s ancient wisdom there is a better way. That is, to ask with a spirit of joy and gratitude and to set a vision for the donor that they get to be a source of blessing to meet this urgent need.
This quote has entered the public domain.
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Music credit: Woeisuhmebop
Welcome back to this podcast where we focus on the wisdom of generosity, from ancient to modern. If you enjoy these five minute reflections on being a person in the beautiful space where generosity occurs, please share this podcast in your fundraising networks. If you like these Reflections on Generosity, I would love to hear from you. Just click on the “What do you think?” link in the show notes.
In the United States this week, a law was signed that will cut many social services. Naturally, many human services nonprofits are expecting an increase in need and are therefore preparing fundraising asks. Also, this week, the United States, there were some tragic natural disasters. Nonprofits serving in those areas are also preparing fundraising asks. Each day, across the globe, something urgent occurs that leads nonprofits to ask donors to give. How we portray the urgent need matters. This week, I’m reading a quote from John Chrysostom from the 400 A.D.s.
The quote begins.
Helping a person in need is good in itself. But the degree of goodness is hugely affected by the attitude with which it is done. If you show resentment because you are helping the person out of a reluctant sense of duty, then the person may receive your help but may feel awkward and embarrassed. This is because they will feel beholden to you. If, on the other hand, you help the person in a spirit of joy, then the help will be received joyfully. The person will feel neither demeaned nor humiliated by your help but rather will feel glad to have caused you pleasure by receiving your help. And joy is the appropriate attitude with which to help others because acts of generosity are a source of blessing to the giver as well as the receiver.
End quote.
When we are faced with an urgent need involving our constituents, whether it is a person, animal, place, or thing, the way we portray the fundraising need matters. There are methods that invoke fear, scarcity, and obligation. These techniques have been described as “poverty porn.” The essential of poverty porn is outlined in this week’s quote. It invokes a reluctant sense of duty and makes the subject - our constituents - embarrassed and demeaned. They also make the donor feel fearful, angry, and resentful. In the short-term, these techniques do raise funds. However, in the long-term, donor don’t keep giving because anger is a life-sucking companion. Within this week’s ancient wisdom there is a better way. That is, to ask with a spirit of joy and gratitude and to set a vision for the donor that they get to be a source of blessing to meet this urgent need.
Let’s reflect on two questions this week:
If you are writing a fundraising appeal for an urgent need, step back and ask yourself these two questions.
What will the donor feel when they read or hear your appeal?
Does the appeal honor the subject’s dignity or, if a place or thing, honor the subject’s significance or importance?
Share this podcast if you enjoy these five-minute reflections and subscribe to receive these reflections released every Monday. To explore fundraising coaching deeper, visit Serving Nonprofits dot com. See you next week.
