When I was ruminating over the anti-Black biases of my chosen spaces, of the Big Three - philosophy, conservation, and philanthropy -- I had a hard time "figuring out" philanthropy. I do believe that everything in the US is touched by, and partially formed by, white supremacy, so I knew there is something problematic in…
I'm going to switch gears a little here. Where as previously in this series I've been focusing on the ways donors and prospects perceive financial opportunities and situations and how fundraisers can be aware of those cognitive tendencies so as to avoid making unnecessary mistakes (and so as to being our best, most effective fundraising…
Isn't "heuristic" such an intellectual-sounding word?! I feel erudite. I also love the way it sounds, considering what it means. A heuristic is a way of approaching a question or problem that values the practical and easy over the accurate. Basically, it's our brain jumping to conclusions, rather than taking a beat and doing the…
Compassion is a major motivator in philanthropic giving. Sure, some people give because they need or want the associated tax break, but most people, when asked to explain why they give to charity, say they give for much more personal reasons. In an interview of 700 Britons, Charities Aid Foundation found that people say they…
I was chafing a bit the other day over the realization that in order to be most effective at my job, I need to talk about giving and gifts in the simplest way possible. I've learned so much about the complexities of ways to donate, of why people donate, of the great scientific work being…
Fundraisers tend to categorize donors in three ways, either as annual donors, major gift donors, or legacy donors. Annual donors are those who give smaller amounts more frequently -- monthly, annually, or when a giving campaign comes calling (think United Way or the Girl Scouts). These gifts usually go to the general fund or support…
I was taking a bath when I read about the Anchoring Effect. (I'm basically Archimedes.) It hit me so hard I actually stopped reading, put my book on the floor, and stared into my Rosemary-Mint scented bubbles for a long time. Holy crap. I've been doing this wrong since I started fundraising. My failure to…
I'm a fundraiser. I work with people to find the environmental causes that matter to them and then help them make gifts that are meaningful -- meaningful to them, and meaningful to my organization. It's not a profession I ever imagined myself in, but I'm coming to genuinely love it for what it is. The…
