2 minute read
Philanthropic generosity’s common denominators
Whatever the mix of forces that shape our lives, I have found these three common denominators remain in the hearts and minds of most people in every walk of life everywhere in the world:
Because of their life experiences, good and bad, tragic or joyful, almost all adults everywhere on earth have a small collection of causes and issues that they would like to financially support if they had the capacity to do so.
Those with some capacity to give more money to help mostly have very little knowledge of the players (charities) currently addressing those problems the giver wants to see fixed in the world.
Most such predisposed people would give money to causes addressing those problems that matter to them personally if they were asked after first being shown the impact their giving would make.
Such people represent a huge and mostly untapped existing pool of predisposed prospects who would be keen to donate to a mission of deeper interest to them. Within this pool of predisposed people is wealth waiting to be given away. This is where Citizen Generosity can be found but that too often remains untapped. That's because the latent Citizen Generosity factor of most people tends to remain dormant within them, not for any fault of theirs but because:
The charities undertaking the work that would be of interest to predisposed people are not visible to them. Nor do the charities know (and often nor do they believe) that many predisposed people exist or are interested in what the charity is achieving in the world.
Lack of stewardship of predisposed people before and after making their first donation when they have displayed an initial interest in a good cause.
Lack of a reliable and sustainable enterprise that addresses points 1 & 2 above and that keeps finding, cultivating and enthusing those who are predisposed to happily give, give again, and keep on giving.
In my book Cracking Generosity, you will find how to build a sustainable Donor-centric Fundraising Enterprise that resolves points 1 and 2 forever. Start reading my free Cracking Generosity appetizer by clicking below. (The first full edition of Cracking Generosity will be available early 2024.)
