Reflections on Generosity

..."An association [nonprofit] is an educated and powerful body of citizens which cannot be twisted to any person's will or quietly trodden down,..." This week, I’m reading selected quotes from Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville, published in 1835. Note.  His use of the word association is our current word for nonprofit. Reflection questions: Are you getting caught up how national events affect the nonprofit you serve?  Will you instead reflect on ways your nonprofit is improving your community through the power of association and democracy? How are you giving opportunities for donors to see that they are a part of that powerful body of citizens that work together to save common liberties? Reflection on quote: In the United States, we are in the middle of election season.  As nonprofit leaders, we can wonder and even worry about the effect the election will have on the missions we serve.  However, instead of getting caught up in that worry, we can look to the role of nonprofits in democracies and how generosity promotes democracy.  Let’s consider these ideas that, according de Tocqueville, nonprofits have a vital role in maintaining democracy. Nonprofits through our missions allow citizens to act together to alleviate the…

"...the potentially world-changing and life-giving power that may be present in or working through the goodness of the donors' hearts and souls; if only someone would acknowledge it, call it forth, and nurture it!" This week, I am reading a quote from Growing Givers’ Hearts: Treating Fundraising as Ministry by Thomas Jeavons and Rebekah Burch Basinger. 2000 edition. Reflection questions: Where are there areas that we are failing to recognize the world-changing and life-giving power that resides the donors’ hearts and souls? How are you giving space for donors  to share their desire to be world changing and life giving? Reflection on quote: As we prepare for year-end giving or any fundraising campaign, how we message matters.  Are we selling a transaction or inviting generosity? This quote reminds me of a conservation nonprofit client and their experience with a donation.  The donor planned to give appreciated stock for their donation.  When the donor was told how to avoid capital gains tax, they refused and instead insisted on selling the stocks, paying the capital gains tax, and donating the proceeds. This donor cared more about the world-changing and life-giving power that was present in or working through the goodness of his heart and…

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.”  JK Rowling This week, I’m reading various quotes to reflect on how generosity covers our failures. Reflection question: Are we letting failure harden or shame us?  Or, are we letting generosity cover our failures with the desire to keep trying?    Reflection on Quotes: Last week, I talked about failure and how to view failure. All this week, I’ve been thinking about how donors view our failures. Although we can Google a bunch of quotes about people not wanting others to be successful or root for our failures, that is not how donors view failures in our nonprofit work.  Instead, because donors are investing in our work, they are cheering us on to move passed our failures. When donors see that we are seeking to succeed in our work, they will see failures as a learning process to better serve our missions in the future.  What we do next matters. It’s easy to be ashamed or to let the failure harden us into never wanting to make a mistake again. …

"...All that happens, happens right: you will find it so if you observe narrowly..." This week, I am reading a quote from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, written around 171 AD. Reflection questions: When you have failed in your work recently, how are observing narrowly for the right things that came out of it? Are you seeking perfection or goodness in your fundraising activities? Reflection on the quote: In working with over 100 clients, it’s not surprising that I’m well-acquainted with failure as well. A donor event that no one shows up to. An email campaign that raises zero dollars. A year-end direct mail campaign that goes out in January. A fundraising event where no one gives.  As much as I want every campaign, event, fundraising activity to be successful, that’s not real life.  So how do we grapple with that. This week, I am reading a quote from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, written around 171 AD. All that happens, happens right.  Notice that Aurelius did nt say, all that happens, happens perfectly.  Or, successfully.  But, he says “right if you observe narrowly.” We can get stuck in embarrassment or paralysis.  We can fear that donors will stop giving to us because of…

..."And then with a cry from his soul despairing,He bowed him down to the earth and wept.But a voice cried aloud from the driving rain;“Arise, old man, and plant again!” This week, I’m reading a poem, Disappointed, written by Paul Laurence Dunbar, published in 1913. Reflection question: Is there an area of your work where you have been disappointment and you need to stop and weep before moving forward? Reflection on the quote: This week, something sad happened with a nonprofit in my community. Often, I focus on the positive side of generosity.  Yet, with generosity, sometimes there is a pain.  It’s a pain that comes from striving for good and giving generously and yet seeing our work swept away.  When we face times of disappointment, it is easy to respond in two ways.  To give up and walk away from our work. We may walk away physically, leaving our job or volunteer position.  Or, we walk away emotionally, no longer truly engaged in our work.  The other way we can respond is to push through and act as though the disappointment didn’t happen.  Unfortunately, disappointments build up and we can’t keep pushing without burning out.  This poem gives a third way. …