Reflections on Generosity Serving Nonprofits by Chany Reon Ockert Consulting, LLC, CFRE

"...On the psychological level, precommitment could induce a preference for avoiding inconsistency, leading people to act in line with their past or committed behaviour. Our study provides behavioural and neural evidence that supports the link between generosity and happiness..."This week, I’m reading quotes from A neural link between generosity and happiness by S. Q. Park and several researchers, published in 2017 in Nature Communications.Reflection questions:How do we perceive donors who in...

"...Kind hearts are the gardens, Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the flowers, Kind deeds are the fruits...."This week, I’m reading a quote, often attributed to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, published in 1873.Reflection questions:In our fundraising materials, are we guard them from weeds of hatred and strife?Related, do we seek to fill the metaphorical garden of donors with sweet sunshine and blossoms of good words and kind deeds that reflected the work we are doing?This work has ent...

The Drafter of Many Appeals ends the article with ... "But the fact is that motives of pure reason to explain voluntary action are usually difficult of discovery, and not in charitable spheres only..."This week I am reading "The Ethics of giving: The Ratio of Generosity to Income" by "a Drafter of Many Appeals" from the Hospital Magazine, published in 1915.Reflection question:When will you take the time to find the humor in our fundraising work through a Google search of humorous videos or ca...

"...[Generosity] removes a weight, a burden, a nagging fear. It sets one free to appreciate and enjoy what one has, rather than being burdened with the wish that one had more or worry about losing it. This kind of personal transformation shores up the personal security grounded in believing that, whatever the future holds, one will always have enough....."This week, I’m reading a quote from The Paradox of Generosity by Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson. 2014 edition.Reflection questions: Ho...

"...Guilt appeals in the field of persuasion are quite common. However, the effectiveness of these messages is sometimes ambivalent. It is widely acknowledged that guilt leads people to engage into prosocial behaviors, but the effects of guilt can also be counter-productive...."This week, I am reading a quote from Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu and A Theory of Guilt Appeals: A Review Showing the Importance of Investigating Cognitive Processes as Mediators between Emotion and Behavior, by Graton ...

"...Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, they have mixed their wonderful joy with their deep poverty, and the result has been an overflow of giving to others..."This week, I’m reading from 2 Corinthians by Saint Paul.Reflection questions:Is there a volunteer or Board member you have deemed too poor to give the opportunity to donate?How can you empower all people - regardless of their economic situation - to give joyfully?This work has entered the public domain.To e...