What comes first? Thankfulness or generosity? A.W. Tozer said, “Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now.” Start with a definition of thankfulness from a tenth-grade student who described it in a 2004 essay on WriteWork titled, “The Importance of Being Thankful.” The writer tells us “Thankfulness is being able to ha ...[Read More]
How a Thankful Heart Inspires Generosity
The Surprising Staying Power of the Middle Class Donor
Ten years ago, the country plunged into a recession deep enough to have a grinding impact on America’s charities. When I read those last two words together, I think about my nonprofit friends right here in my community. When the Chronicle of Philanthropy ran an article with the headline: A Response to America’s Favorite Charities 2018: A Lost Decade? Not for America’s Charities that Tap the Afflue ...[Read More]
How to Fund Community Change with Shared Passion
A Tale of Two Cities – oh, I meant Two Coalitions. Besides the name has already been taken and I can’t begin to write as eloquently as Charles Dickens. But I can give it my best shot at being succinct about the importance of paying attention to change work going on in your community. Communities are always in a state of change – good or bad. It’s when people come together with a shared passion for ...[Read More]
How to Give Like the Mega-Wealthy
Are you familiar with the idiom, “he puts his pants on one leg at a time,” often followed by “just like everyone else.” Well, that’s what I thought about as I read an article detailing a study of the wealthiest donors and how they make giving decisions. The study results were released in late 2017 by The Philanthropy Workshop (TPW), known to many as a leader in philanthropy education and donor net ...[Read More]