Does a Slow Economy Hurt Fundraising? (Cont'd)

We're continuing on this theme of whether the state of the national or local economy affects fundraising for just a few more posts. Then we'll switch to another direction. But there are some points that have yet to be made on this theme.

One thing we know is that our creator has hard-wired human beings to be able to give. How can you discover this? Just ask someone for a major gift and watch what happens.

For example, if you want to see someone get a really big "high" or rush, just watch them give a fairly major chunk of money, say $10,000 or so, to a cause they're really involved in and excited about. That donor will be on the ceiling for weeks! Why?

I believe the reason for this is the internal satisfaction that comes with being a part of doing something good, accomplishing some good for humanity, making someone's life better, easing someone's pain or providing a leap in understanding of some cultural value – these bring a rush and a mental/emotional state of euphoria that is practically unbeatable.

Truth to tell, we need that rush, the high, the euphoria, in both good times and in bad. Regardless of what is going on in the economy. Or maybe even BECAUSE of what's going on in the economy, I think peole may need it more than ever. But our point here is that as humans we're hard-wired to need this internal satisfaction and excitement in our lives. We're built in such a way that when we give of ourselves we feel good, and the more we give of ourselves the better we feel.

That should make it easy for any nonprofit fundraiser to write a dynamite fundraising letter. The stage is set, we know charities work, and work well, we know that charities give us value and we are compelled by our sets of values to give. We know that people have this innate urge to give, and that they get a really powerful emotional high from doing so. So why is it that we keep churning out these really droll fundraising appeal letters time and time again? What's more, why is it that we keep expecting that these sleep-inducing tomes will appeal to donors more this year than they did last year?

If we want different, better results, more money, more donors, higher average gifts, why do we keep doing the same things we have always done? When we need improvement, why do we keep doing the same things that brought the results we want to improve? Who was it that said this is insanity? Einstein, I believe?

See you tomorrow with more on this theme of the economy.