Reflections on Generosity

"...that which is a hindrance is made a furtherance to an act; and that which is an obstacle on the road helps us on this road..."
This week, I am reading a quote from Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, written around 171 AD.
Reflection questions:

• Is there a response from a donor that you need to stop giving too much weight to and instead put it in its proper place, thank the donor, and continue with your good work?

Reflection on quote:
One of my clients got the letter this week. You know the letter. You’ve sent out the year end appeal. You’ve started receiving donations in the mail. You feel very good about the generosity of the donors. Then you get the letter. It's the letter telling you that you should not wasted a stamp on an appeal letter, and that the donor wants you to remove them from the mailing list. Of course you check the database and you see that they've only given once as a very small donation. Despite all of the good work you’ve done, it's amazing how this one letter affects your day.
We don't know what is going on in the donor’s life who wrote us that letter or email. Perhaps they can only give a very small donation and they do truly feel as though you are wasting a portion of their small donation. Or perhaps they got bad news and our letter just came at the exact same time. No matter the reasoning, we have a choice in how we react. Will we give it more weight than needed, ruining our day? Will we see it as a distraction? Will we make major changes in response to a minor criticism? These are all possibilities. Or, we acknowledge the wisdom from the Meditations and we can put it in its proper place, thank the donor for their concern, and continue the work of giving opportunities for donors to give.
This work has entered the public domain.

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Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

..."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 challenges we see in our community. Through the networks of nonprofits and citizens acting together, we bring arts and culture, preserve places for people to enjoy history, nature, and learning, help vulnerable individuals, families, children, and animals, protect the environment, and so much more. We defend and civilize our communities.
And, also according to his writing in 1835, generosity to nonprofits creates an educated and powerful body of citizens that saves common liberties. When donors give, they become more engaged in our missions and feel more responsible to see our missions succeed. A colleague often states that nonprofit work is the most pure form of democracy; that is, people coming together in consensus for the common good of our missions. When those with wealth, at any amount, choose not to keep their wealth and instead are generous, that wealth is combined with the knowledge of the common good of our missions and saves the common liberties to maintain civilization in our communities.
This work has entered the public domain.

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To explore fundraising coaching deeper and to schedule an exploratory session, visit ServingNonprofits.com.
Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

"...Where there is quiet and meditation, there is neither worry nor dissipation...."

This week, I’m reflecting on Of the Virtues putting Vices to Flight by Francis of Assisi, first published in English in 1906.

Reflection questions:

• Which virtue do you want to cultivate this week?
• Complete this sentence, This week, I want our donors to know and feel...

Reflection on quote:

As I record this week’s reflection, there continues to be so much upheaval for nonprofits. How we respond matters to our missions in the long-term. Yes, from the last two episodes, we can lean into enmity or we can pull back from engaging with our donors. Yet, both options lead to long-term damage to our donor relationships and our communities. As we continue in our work amidst the uncertainty, what posture should we have?

In the face of uncertainty, what do these virtues do? When we lean into patience and humility, we react calmly. This leads to increased trust by our donors. This increased trust helps when we share hard news of funding losses or program closures. When there is poverty borne with joy, we communicate an attitude of abundance. This allows generosity to become contagious among our donors who know that we are not asking just to ask nor are we asking from a place of failure. When there is quiet and mediation, we have thought through the implications of decisions made outside of our control. This tempers any frantic worry or unwise spending decisions. We are then able to provide donors with a balanced view of what is needed now and what will be required in the future. When we embrace mercy and discernment with our donors, we don’t take them for granted nor do we become hardened to them when they hold a political position different than ours. This gives space to educate our donors to the impacts that this current uncertainty has on our mission and our partners. As we educate our donors, their generosity takes on more meaning for the donor and within their network as they discuss why are they giving now. These virtues truly do put vices to flight in our development work.

This work has entered the public domain.

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

"...Remove gift and gratitude from human society, and what remains is not a community but a "lonely crowd," in the famous words of the sociologist David Riesman..."
This week, I am reading various quotes from Being Generous by Theodore Roosevelt Malloch, published in 2009.
Reflection questions:

• Have you ever considered if some of the donors to your missions are giving because of that idea of community and dependency? Seeking to acknowledge that we are interdependent on each other?
• What risks will you take this week in building relationships with donors?

To purchase this book: Being Generosity by Theodore Roosevelt Malloch. To receive a 30% discount with free shipping, use code: RUSA30.
Permissions granted by Templeton Press for use of this quote.

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To explore fundraising coaching deeper and to schedule an exploratory session, visit ServingNonprofits.com.
Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

"...I would say that other‐preservation is the first law of life. It is the first law of life precisely because we cannot preserve self without being concerned about preserving other selves..."
In honor of the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior Day in the United States, I thought I would share two related quotes from him. Both of these quotes come from the time of his launch of the Poor People’s Campaign.
Reflection questions:

• How will you invite someone in your community to join you in this other-concern work?
• If you have had a hard week in your work, what do you most need to recharge? Time with the clients you serve to see the difference you are making? Time with a donor to hear why they support the cause? Or time away with your community? Take the time.

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