Читать книгу Achieving Excellence in Fundraising - Группа авторов - Страница 96

By Sara Konrath

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

~Acts 20:35

“Most people would rather give than get affection.”

~Aristotle

The belief that it is better to give than to receive has a long history, with examples from ancient religious texts and philosophers. The earliest known scientific evidence, from the early 1970s, discovered that people learned faster when doing so helped someone avoid suffering – such altruism was motivating and rewarding. This chapter reviews scientific research on how giving time and money affects givers.

The chapter will help readers to:

 Understand how giving time and money affects psychological, social, and physical health outcomes.

 Learn about research on the joy of giving across cultures and across the lifespan.

 Be aware of benefits of giving even during challenging times.

 Know some potential limits of giving, and how to maximize the joy of giving in oneself and others.

Fundraising professionals facilitate a significant portion of donations to nonprofits. Fundraisers match people's values with opportunities to give, and in doing so, help to feed the hungry, take care of the sick, share musical and cultural experiences, and educate generations of students. When fundraisers help givers give, they may not realize that they are bringing these givers more happiness and better health. By being mindful of these benefits of giving, fundraisers can see themselves as givers too, and can personally experience the joy of giving.