Reflections on Generosity

"...Humble ignorance can imagine that it might be wrong and hopes that its community will correct it early enough to avoid harm.  It can marvel at what it sees that it cannot hope to understand or control...." This week, I’m reading a quote from Imposed Ignorance and Humble Ignorance - Two Worldviews by Paul Heltne, published in 2008. Reflection Questions: Are we building structures and processes in our work that demand certainty or are we building those structures and processes to encourage discovery and wonder? Are we willing to be honest and humble with donors when we need to make a course correction? Reflection on the Quote Earlier this week, I was coaching a client through the process of asking for a corporate sponsorship.  She knew that this was an area that she knew little about, but instead of being defensive, she embraced this ignorance with openness and curiosity.  It stuck me.  How am I approaching my ignorance whether it’s about a donor or a fundraising technique or a trend in the field. This also applies to generosity.  We can approach donor relationships with certainty, with standard practices, and yet we may never find out the true reason a donor is giving…

"...Let us, then, be up and doing,    With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing,    Learn to labor and to wait." This week, I'm reflecting on a poem, A Psalm of Life, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, published in 1838. Reflection questions: How does thinking of your donors as partners as well change your perspective? If you are in the middle of a fundraising campaign, when was the last time you gave an update to your donors, to your partners for this campaign? Reflection on poem: This week, I was reminded of the active nature of charity by donors. One of my clients was near the finish line of raising enough to meet their goal and move forward on a capital projects.  But, just before the deadline they were short. Just a small gap.  They called one of the donors to the project and shared the information about the gap.  What did the donor do?  He committed to calling his network to fill the gap.  And, the gap was filled. It reminded me the quote often attributed to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  “The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service.” …

"...There is a difference between quantity and fullness. You can have a lot of money and still be empty. There is no fullness in your heart...." This week, Pope Francis passed away.  In honor of his teaching on generosity, I am reflecting on his homily from November 8, 2015. Reflection question: Are you asking for leftover generosity?  Or, are you asking for true generosity in your messages to donors? Reflection on quote: In his words, he talks about giving from fullness and not from leftovers.  This is a mark of true generosity.  Yes, sometimes, our messages to donors request the leftovers.  Can you spare a dollar?  Every bit counts.  Would you just fill the gap? Remember us in your will. All of these phrases give the impression that the donor would only want to give from their leftovers.  Yet, that makes the decision for them and deprives them of true, sacrificial generosity. What do you think? Send me a text. To explore fundraising coaching deeper and to schedule an exploratory session, visit ServingNonprofits.com. Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

"... If donors are largely unaware of fluctuations in the grants received by charities, then reductions in fund-raising becomes a sensible explanation for crowding out..." This week, I came across a large scale research article from 2009 titled, “Is Crowding Out Due Entirely to Fundraising?” Reflection questions: If your organization suddenly lost significant government funding, what unique strengths, especially through your donor relationships, could you leverage to better serve your specific community's needs? The nonprofit sector has faced profound shifts before.  Will you ponder with me how our current challenges could bring unexpected gifts as well? Reflection on quotes The last three months have highlighted a critical challenge many nonprofits face: the delicate balance between government funding and private donations. Many nonprofits have built programs around federal grants, only to see them reduced or eliminated, leaving the organization scrambling to fill the gap.  So many of my coaching sessions have centered around this issue.  One striking statistic from this 17 year look-back research is that every $1000 grant reduces giving by $727. So, I invite you to join me in reflecting on how the reversal of "crowding out effect” that federal funding has on fundraising may actually help us build more sustainable…

..."It is the most beautiful, the most noble side of neighbourly love, wherein the word has fully become deed..." This week, I’m sharing quotes from The Untapped Power of Jewish Fellowships and Forgotten Approaches to Care to connect the practice of hevrot to our work in fundraising. Reflection questions: How are you “thinking in relationship” to avoid depersonalizing our donors? How are you bringing groups of donors together to create networks of care? Reflection on quote: At its core, fundraising isn't just about securing donations—it's about fostering genuine human connections built on care and mutual recognition.  This week, I’ve been researching the Jewish practice of hevrot. The article, The Untapped Power of Jewish Fellowships, defines hevrot as small, local voluntaristic groups of individuals who join together to do good works or promote piety. The practice dates to at least the second century.  The research in Forgotten Approaches to Care further explores this practice.  Rather than seeing donors simply as sources of financial support, we recognize them as partners in a shared mission. When we frame our work through an ethics of care, we acknowledge the interdependence that exists between all members of our community. Think about what makes fundraising truly meaningful—it's not…

"...There's only one thing I will not concede: that it might be meaningless to strive for a good cause." This week, I’m reflecting on his words from Summer Meditations by Vacslav Havel, published in 1993. Reflection question: What is the internal battle within yourself that you are facing related to the external threats to the cause you serve?  And, how will you stand for principle in that internal battle? Reflection on the quote: When I consider the challenges we face in raising sufficient funding for the good causes we serve, I look for wisdom those who faced greater challenges that I will ever face.  I think of those who faced torture for speaking truth, those who faced imprisonment for desiring a more just world.  One such writer was Vacslav Havel. He was a playwright and political dissident - tortured and imprisoned for speaking against the lies of a repressive government.  His writings speak to persistence in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.  When we face external threats to the cause we serve or the funding we receive, we also face an internal battle within ourselves.  Do we give up or give in?  Or, do we continue to work for what is right…