You don’t mention the tax benefit of giving as well. Do you ask, or can you assess whether tax incentives factor into their motivation? I would postulate that it would depend on degree of wealth and amount and areas of giving as well as how progressive the individual claims to be.
I would also suggest that this “hardwiring” has a lot to do with who created us! While I don’t know anything but anecdotal evidence, I would think that those active in their faith lives are some of the most “cheerful givers”.
What percentage of people in the country are self-actualized? Of those that do give, how many are self-actualized. As an aside , have Maslow’s theories been tested, replicated and validated.
Woudn’t it be nice, and feel good if we thought that eveyone who gave did so because they cared.
With the small amount of foudational dollars that come into the non-profit sector, I wonder if the wealthy individuals who create these foundations do so because they are self-actualized or need a tax break. When a foundation gives $1,000 to a local charity that serves the poor and $600,000 to a well know law school I wonder who really benefits. Is that reflective of self-actualized giving.
Perhaps we should just accept the fact that people give for many reasons. Some reasons may be know to the individual, and if we wated to put a Freudian spin on giving, we could hypothesize that many give because of what is burried deep within their psyche.
Thank you for this insightful and encouraging comment on the philanthropic impulse.
I’ve been working for three decades as a professional fundraiser and now spend much of my time teaching the principles and practice of fundraising and philanthropy to NGOs around the world, mostly in the Global South. In speaking about donor motivation, I explain that there are three dimensions of motivation: the heart, the mind, and the spirit. The heart, of course, encompasses the emotional case that any savvy fundraiser relates in seeking a gift. The mind refers to the logical aspects of the case, seeking to establish credibility. The spirit, though, is the realm your post relates to. Well done!
Now to respond to a couple of the earlier comments . . .
Research in the USA, which offers tax benefits for giving as generous as any found in the world, makes it clear that tax savings are *not* a major factor in motivating most donors. Tax benefits loom large in connection with some major gifts, especially those involving appreciated property (such as works of art or securities). But their impact on giving in general is much exaggerated in the public mind.
However, it is certainly true that religiously observant people tend to be the most generous donors. High rates of charitable giving correlate with regular attendance at church, synagogue, or mosque. And giving by observant folk isn’t limited to religious charities. In fact, giving to religious nonprofits has declined sharply as a percentage of the whole during the three decades in which I’ve been active in the field. That percentage was well over 50 for a very long time. It has now declined to about 37%.
There are many reasons why people give to charity. Some of the reasons why people donate are because it gives them satisfaction as well as it sets an example for others. Donating also helps others in times of hardship. Donating to charity is very important. Many people are choosing to participate in charitable giving, whether its a big organization or a non profit charity, charity is an important part of community. Our charity Boats with causes is a very trusting non profit organization where many donors have donated to boats with causes. Some of the important facts about donating with us is when you donate a boat to charity you will receive a maximum tax deduction. Donating helps many donors financially and also gives them a chance to help others as well. Boat donations have helped many families and individuals all over the world. When donors donate they are saving many lives with their boat donation you will be helping any cause of your choice. Donate today and make a difference.
This is very interesting article. Definitely after fulfilling basic needs there should be a concept of giving, because the more people give the more it helps society to grow and benefit more people.
Charity is one of the most generous acts. And the greatest thing about it is that it doesn’t have to be big. A basic reason for being charitable is the feeling it gives.
You got my attention when you said that giving is a motivation that we must do to survive and thrive. My birthday is coming up, and I can’t help but think of ways to give back. I understand how fortunate I have been compared to others, so I want to share something in return. I’d like to also feel good about myself, so I will consider finding charities where I can donate some of my cars. Thanks!
It got my attention when you said that people give to charity because they feel closer to people, and they appreciate life. This reminds me of homeless people that may need help to find shelter and get free food. I could imagine how people should support humanitarian services in order to do more charity work.
I like when you said that as an investment advisor, I regularly consult with wealthy individuals about maximizing the financial resources at their disposal. My wife was mentioned giving a portion of our retirement benefit to donating to a charity we choose. Thanks to your post, we now decided child educational donation
It made sense to me when you said that giving is motivated by the need for people to find meaning in life. This is something that I will consider since I have been earning more than what I need for the past 8 months. It is important for me to ensure that I can give back to the community, so I will find a nonprofit organization that helps feed the homeless.
I totally agree with what you said that the act of giving is a human nature already. Ever since my wife and I had a kid, we’ve been extra sensitive of topics about child support and adoption. We empathized more for the children who are underserved and those that need help. It’s like we gained a sixth sense out of the birth of our firstborn, and we want to be able to contribute to the improvement of the lives of the children. With that being said, we’re going to make sure to find a child based nonprofit so that hopefully, we can begin to change lives.
You made an interesting point when you talked about how giving always comes back to benefit the giver. I would think that it would be a good idea for a company to donate to different charities as a way to build goodwill. People would probably be more likely to use a company if they see what they are doing in the community.
It was interesting when you said that people would find a sense of purpose in life when they consider the joy of giving to charity. With this in mind, my husband and I will consider it since we want to find a way to help our community. We have old cars at home that we don’t see driving again for the years to come. Maybe, we can consider donating two of them to a charity drive.
I really liked the perspective you shared about how people find meaning in life by giving to charity. I’m thinking about finding a charity to donate to for fun. Now that I’m retired, I have a lot more time that I can donate to worthwhile causes.
COMMENTS
BY Kristen Cox
ON March 13, 2008 11:53 AM
You don’t mention the tax benefit of giving as well. Do you ask, or can you assess whether tax incentives factor into their motivation? I would postulate that it would depend on degree of wealth and amount and areas of giving as well as how progressive the individual claims to be.
BY Lynn Andersen
ON March 13, 2008 12:15 PM
I would also suggest that this “hardwiring” has a lot to do with who created us! While I don’t know anything but anecdotal evidence, I would think that those active in their faith lives are some of the most “cheerful givers”.
BY Russ
ON March 13, 2008 12:46 PM
What percentage of people in the country are self-actualized? Of those that do give, how many are self-actualized. As an aside , have Maslow’s theories been tested, replicated and validated.
Woudn’t it be nice, and feel good if we thought that eveyone who gave did so because they cared.
With the small amount of foudational dollars that come into the non-profit sector, I wonder if the wealthy individuals who create these foundations do so because they are self-actualized or need a tax break. When a foundation gives $1,000 to a local charity that serves the poor and $600,000 to a well know law school I wonder who really benefits. Is that reflective of self-actualized giving.
Perhaps we should just accept the fact that people give for many reasons. Some reasons may be know to the individual, and if we wated to put a Freudian spin on giving, we could hypothesize that many give because of what is burried deep within their psyche.
BY Peter Durkson
ON March 13, 2008 01:03 PM
Giving is love made visible.
BY Venkatanathan
ON March 14, 2008 03:24 AM
Mother Theresa once said “GIVE TILL HUTRS YOU”.It is only that giving that is supreme which hurts the giver in some way.
BY Mal Warwick
ON March 14, 2008 04:39 PM
Thank you for this insightful and encouraging comment on the philanthropic impulse.
I’ve been working for three decades as a professional fundraiser and now spend much of my time teaching the principles and practice of fundraising and philanthropy to NGOs around the world, mostly in the Global South. In speaking about donor motivation, I explain that there are three dimensions of motivation: the heart, the mind, and the spirit. The heart, of course, encompasses the emotional case that any savvy fundraiser relates in seeking a gift. The mind refers to the logical aspects of the case, seeking to establish credibility. The spirit, though, is the realm your post relates to. Well done!
Now to respond to a couple of the earlier comments . . .
Research in the USA, which offers tax benefits for giving as generous as any found in the world, makes it clear that tax savings are *not* a major factor in motivating most donors. Tax benefits loom large in connection with some major gifts, especially those involving appreciated property (such as works of art or securities). But their impact on giving in general is much exaggerated in the public mind.
However, it is certainly true that religiously observant people tend to be the most generous donors. High rates of charitable giving correlate with regular attendance at church, synagogue, or mosque. And giving by observant folk isn’t limited to religious charities. In fact, giving to religious nonprofits has declined sharply as a percentage of the whole during the three decades in which I’ve been active in the field. That percentage was well over 50 for a very long time. It has now declined to about 37%.
BY Sean Stannard-Stockton
ON March 20, 2008 09:55 AM
Thanks for your comments. I’ve left a response to some of your points here: http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2008/03/why-do-people-give-to-charity-2
BY Desiree
ON April 18, 2018 01:36 PM
There are many reasons why people give to charity. Some of the reasons why people donate are because it gives them satisfaction as well as it sets an example for others. Donating also helps others in times of hardship. Donating to charity is very important. Many people are choosing to participate in charitable giving, whether its a big organization or a non profit charity, charity is an important part of community. Our charity Boats with causes is a very trusting non profit organization where many donors have donated to boats with causes. Some of the important facts about donating with us is when you donate a boat to charity you will receive a maximum tax deduction. Donating helps many donors financially and also gives them a chance to help others as well. Boat donations have helped many families and individuals all over the world. When donors donate they are saving many lives with their boat donation you will be helping any cause of your choice. Donate today and make a difference.
BY Help the homeless
ON June 27, 2018 02:24 AM
This is very interesting article. Definitely after fulfilling basic needs there should be a concept of giving, because the more people give the more it helps society to grow and benefit more people.
BY atiya
ON February 4, 2020 01:25 PM
Charity is one of the most generous acts. And the greatest thing about it is that it doesn’t have to be big. A basic reason for being charitable is the feeling it gives.
BY Shammy Peterson
ON April 28, 2021 11:51 PM
You got my attention when you said that giving is a motivation that we must do to survive and thrive. My birthday is coming up, and I can’t help but think of ways to give back. I understand how fortunate I have been compared to others, so I want to share something in return. I’d like to also feel good about myself, so I will consider finding charities where I can donate some of my cars. Thanks!
BY Abdulrahim
ON October 19, 2021 03:54 AM
A very informative article. Thank you for sharing such amazing information with us. I loved your article.
BY Shammy P
ON October 30, 2021 02:25 AM
It got my attention when you said that people give to charity because they feel closer to people, and they appreciate life. This reminds me of homeless people that may need help to find shelter and get free food. I could imagine how people should support humanitarian services in order to do more charity work.
BY Jeff Carbine
ON November 16, 2021 12:49 AM
I like when you said that as an investment advisor, I regularly consult with wealthy individuals about maximizing the financial resources at their disposal. My wife was mentioned giving a portion of our retirement benefit to donating to a charity we choose. Thanks to your post, we now decided child educational donation
BY Ava M
ON December 2, 2021 03:56 PM
It made sense to me when you said that giving is motivated by the need for people to find meaning in life. This is something that I will consider since I have been earning more than what I need for the past 8 months. It is important for me to ensure that I can give back to the community, so I will find a nonprofit organization that helps feed the homeless.
BY Luke Smith
ON December 27, 2021 03:01 PM
I totally agree with what you said that the act of giving is a human nature already. Ever since my wife and I had a kid, we’ve been extra sensitive of topics about child support and adoption. We empathized more for the children who are underserved and those that need help. It’s like we gained a sixth sense out of the birth of our firstborn, and we want to be able to contribute to the improvement of the lives of the children. With that being said, we’re going to make sure to find a child based nonprofit so that hopefully, we can begin to change lives.
BY Thomas Clarence
ON January 28, 2022 09:16 AM
You made an interesting point when you talked about how giving always comes back to benefit the giver. I would think that it would be a good idea for a company to donate to different charities as a way to build goodwill. People would probably be more likely to use a company if they see what they are doing in the community.
BY Bea A
ON February 23, 2022 10:41 PM
It was interesting when you said that people would find a sense of purpose in life when they consider the joy of giving to charity. With this in mind, my husband and I will consider it since we want to find a way to help our community. We have old cars at home that we don’t see driving again for the years to come. Maybe, we can consider donating two of them to a charity drive.
BY Eve Mitchell
ON March 16, 2022 03:56 PM
I really liked the perspective you shared about how people find meaning in life by giving to charity. I’m thinking about finding a charity to donate to for fun. Now that I’m retired, I have a lot more time that I can donate to worthwhile causes.