How to fix the generosity crisis

Philanthropic donations are down again, making this two years in a row, and part of a longer trend we began to see shaking around the last financial crisis.

The truth is, people are not as interested in donating money as they had in years past. There are a couple reasons that I can think of for this:

• Reduced church attendance - Church is a major organization that depends on charitable donations. As less people attend, less give.

• Increased skepticism in organizations - People are becoming more skeptical of people with power and large organizations. Sadly, there have been stories of misused funds coming out of nonprofits that make people think twice about where to give their money.

• Tighter economy - The largest decrease in giving has occurred among Americans who make under $50,000 a year. It makes sense, as the economy has inflated and rates make it harder to take on debt to buy higher priced goods.

As someone who works in and believes in the future of nonprofits, I ask myself both what the implications of this “crisis” might be and also how to reverse the trend.

Lack of community

Of course, I want everyone to go to church. But one of the impacts of decreased church attendance is the paralleled decrease in felt community.

People are feeling isolated like never before, and this hit a climax following the shut downs due to the coronavirus. Individuals were faced with their thin forms of community and found themselves alone for long stretches of time.

Having a religious community connects you to a group of people that check on you in times of distress and celebrate with you when things are going well.

More than that, many studies have been done that being part of a religious community changes how you view the larger community you find yourself in. For example, religious folks volunteer in the community at double the rate of non religious folks.

Something about religion makes you want to improve the world around you.

The data seems to support that as church recedes from a place of importance in society, so to does generous giving of time and resources.

Fix #1: Get into church or some other form of regular meeting community group.

Hoarding money

I recently read Poverty, by America written by Matthew Desmond and was awakened to the world of hoarding money.

Struggling Americans believe this is true, as nearly half of those who have stopped donating have done so because they feel the rich are not being generous with their money.

So, if it is true the rich are hoarding their money using the tax system and other means to keep their money, the poor are deciding to do the same.

Everyone is in competition to create their own island, their own kingdom, proposing one day when they hit some magical number in their bank account or some pristine island of wealth they will take care of the least of these.

The truth is, that day will never come. The number will always go up. Your goal of wealth will forever become more elaborate.

We cannot be a people who wait for someone else to do the right thing.

Fix #2: Do not base what you spend or save or give on someone else.

Different ways to be generous

Even though traditional metrics of giving are down, there is a growing number of self-reports that people are seeking to be generous through other means than dropping a dime in the offering plate. 

As money becomes tighter and people seek to control what their dollar benefits, people are seeking to help people in a more direct manner.

That means making dinners for someone. Or helping buy clothes for a family whose house burned down. Or cutting the neighbors grass.

This is just as essential in being generous as giving money to something, and in fact may prove to be more beneficial. In this direct form of generous giving of time and resources, it establishes personal connections with the people who are being helped. In doing so, it is less charity and more neighborly. It is less a hand out and more of a friendship.

We all could use more of that.

Fix #3: Maybe you can’t give money, but what can you give to make your corner of the world better?

Wisdom

“What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” - Mark 8:36

“But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.” - 1 Timothy 6:8

Source for some of the data in this article:

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