Recently, I opened my mailbox to find no less than five large packets stuffed with Christmas cards from non-profit organizations, along with accompanying letters asking for donations. I had never given to these charities before.
From saving our oceans to supporting sports and arts in the community or helping struggling families, the initiatives were varied and worthy.
People want to be generous, especially with the holidays approaching. We are bombarded and overwhelmed by need. With more than 85,000 registered charities and non-profits in Canada, how can a person donate to make an impact?
Which of these causes are worthy of my donation? One? Two? Or all of them?
As director of fundraising at the University of Victoria, I know firsthand how people agonize over donation requests.
Clearly, donors are hard-pressed to decide where to give. While some find it hard to say yes, others find it just as difficult to say no. More often than not, requests sent through the mail pile up in recycling bins, emails from charities get deleted and text messages soliciting support are ignored.
And yet, philanthropy plays a vital role in our communities. As Winston Churchill once aptly said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
We just celebrated National Philanthropy Day on Nov. 15 and Giving Tuesday is around the corner on Dec. 3. This is a good thing, a wonderful thing.
Giving Tuesday, an international day of giving and volunteering, began in 2012 as a response to commercialization and consumerism in the post-U.S. Thanksgiving season and is held on the Tuesday following Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
National Philanthropy Day has been celebrated by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) since 1986, and in 2012, the Canadian government signed into law a proclamation celebrating the date as National Philanthropy Day annually.
At Vancouver Island’s recent National Philanthropy Day awards ceremony, the AFP celebrated youth, local citizens, companies and organizations who make our community a better place through their generosity. All those honoured have one thing in common: they have made an impact. They have achieved this through time, talent or “treasure,” i.e. a cash gift.
These people acted with forethought, selflessness and passion. They have made a conscious effort to determine where, out of all the situations needing attention in our world today, they could make the greatest impact and be personally involved. And that is where they have concentrated their efforts.
Currently, 20% of all registered taxpayers in Canada make a donation. I bet it’s much higher if you add in the contribution of people’s time and talents.
Why do those of us who give, donate?
There are many reasons, but among them there is conclusive research showing that giving makes us far happier than receiving.
In 2018, the Victoria Foundation and the University of Victoria released a study showing that the local impact of registered charities was just over $4 billion a year in social and economic activity, including funding distributed to clients or other recipients of donations.
The level of activity reflects the contribution the sector makes in GDP income, full-time equivalent jobs, and municipal taxes that are supported by the spending of charitable organizations.
There are clearly a lot of impassioned people — professional fundraisers and generous, giving donors alike — who are working to make our world a better place through philanthropy.
Philanthropy is a love for humankind. That’s another good reason to donate our money, time and talent. Indeed, without all of us, the world would be in a lot worse shape than it is now.
To mark this upcoming Giving Tuesday, instead of donating randomly or not at all, consider making a conscious investment in causes and organizations that are near and dear to your heart, whether it’s your child’s or your own alma mater, and/or an organization working to cure a disease that concerns you, and/or giving to make our community stronger.
This holiday season, and all year long, when asked for a donation, remember that besides investing your money, you can volunteer to help a cause for which you are passionate, or you can assist by being personally involved through lending your business acumen or skills. Think carefully to make it count, because it does.
Cheryl Hebb, a certified fund raising executive, is director of fund development at the University of Victoria. She is on the national communications committee of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She is a local chapter member of the AFP and the Canadian Association of Gift Planners.
