12 Ways of Giving

LEADERSHIP – KATHLEEN A. PROVOST, CFRE, MAdEd

As a professional fundraiser, I often wonder how we can understand the generosity of so many different people. I find myself not just wondering why people give, but why do they choose to give in a particular way. In my 30-year career, I have come to realize that everyone is generous; everyone I have met cares. And I have come to understand that each one chooses to demonstrate their generosity differently. To remind us of the importance of our work as professional fundraisers in the philanthropic sector, I wanted to share with you 12 ways of giving that illustrate how much generosity we encounter every day.

GENEROSITY

A November survey by CanadaHelps reminds us that the needs are continuously growing; since 24 percent of Canadians (up from 22 percent last year) answered the survey saying they expect to need support from charitable services within the next six months to meet essential needs. The demands made in Canada’s charitable sector continue to require the generosity of numerous stakeholders in our society. Hence, why our work is so important.

As we celebrate this holiday season, let’s keep in mind that whether people’s generosity is a direct result of our work, or not, we need to applaud and celebrate all types of “giving”. Generosity is very much needed.

AN APPEAL TO THE HEART

There are people who are spontaneous donors. They react when an appeal or a request talks to their empathy. These donors want to show they care about specific individuals or causes.

• These people chose to give at the grocery store, to support the firefighter drive, or respond to a mail appeal for the local “fuel drive” in their community, others may give only on “Giving Tuesday”.
• Some respond to community-of-interest causes or are motivated by the affinity they feel when they receive a call from their alma matter, because they recall their experience and hope their giving will allow someone else to experience the same feeling.
• And there are those friends and neighbours who donate in a “Go Fund Me”, campaign because they want to see their generosity help someone they may know, and don’t require a charitable tax receipt.

A SENSE OF OBLIGATION

There are individuals or corporations who express their generosity with a sense of obligation. At times assembling in groups to take part in a greater movement whilst creating a sense of belonging.

• For some, this sense of belonging is expressed through their religion which dictates a duty, or obligation to care for others, and recommends a way of sharing their own wealth.
• There are also individuals who feel obliged to give to make a statement on a specific cause that is important
  to them such as the environment or wildlife protection.
• Sometimes businesses or corporations develop guidelines such as CSRs (Corporate Social Responsibilities) or more recently, ESGs (Environment, Social and Governance) or rally on agreed upon causes to reflect their own culture, or their employees’ interest, like a “Run for the Cure” event.

A FISCAL MOTIVATION

Unfortunately, as Tim Harper, columnist with the Toronto Star, Gordon Floyd, editorial director of The Philanthropist, and members of the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector (ACCS) deplore; there is still not one sectorial home where reforms and regulations can reside and represent all charitable regulations in an effort to facilitate charitable donations and to provide a valuable forum for the sector to have an ongoing discussion about charities’ policies and regulations. For now, the Income Tax Act, or Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) are making rules and regulations in silos within the federal government which impact the fiscality of donations.

This means that individuals who give for fiscal reasons, need to understand all the fiscal intricacies of charitable giving and its impact on their choice of giving, which may change from year to year.

• Hence there are individuals who look at their taxation situation and elect to “add”, “top-up”, or plan a donation of assets, cash or other means to attain a taxation advantage that suits their purposes.
• There are also individuals who accumulate wealth or who inherited wealth and then create a vehicle, such as a foundation, by which they can give in a more structured and fiscally strategic manner.
• At times there are fiscal advantages for some individuals to plan a legacy gift using a variety of fiscal products for a gift to take place at a future date.

AN ALTERNATIVE TO GIVING

When we think of gifts, we often think of dollars, but generosity can be express in so many other forms. In her 2023 article entitled Era of Uncertainty, Sharon J. Riley a journalist based in Edmonton said this about the state of giving: “Relational fundraising practices rather than direct marketing practices are what will ensure charities will be able to maintain support. Charities will have to position themselves as more than a place to put money,” noting the emphasis needs to be more on a values-aligned relationship between charities and donors.

Which is why, some donors demonstrate their generosity in a variety of ways:

• When they share their skills, talents, or expertise for a cause or event that is very important to them, some donors elect to express their generosity by volunteering their time.
• Others use their own consumption to support a cause they feel strongly about. They may choose to purchase only fair-trade coffee, or to buy locally in an effort to support their own personal ideologies.
• For some, it is a way of life. They live their “philanthropy” as a deeply engrained process. For Indigenous communities for example, it is a way of being and doing. Such an example is, the Nehiyaw (Cree) concepts of wîcihitowin (helping each other or sharing) and kanawayhitowin (taking care of each other’s spirit) which demonstrates how integral philanthropic ideas are to Nehiyawak (Cree People).

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

How donors chose to give is as varied as to why they give, but if 15 percent of Canadians say they will give more (Canada Help 2023 survey), we need to applaud that. Interestingly, this survey also reported that giving has increased among younger age groups, with 31 percent of those aged 18-34 saying they will give more to charities this year, compared to 13 percent of those aged 35-54 and only 6 percent of those aged 55+.

Whether a donation is made through participatory grantmaking, a practice of engaging community members in funding decisions that affect them, or whether you shake nickels in a tin can, generosity continues to play a key role in our society. Generosity is essentially part of our “raison d’être”, so let’s celebrate it and recognize it with appreciation. Especially at this time of the year, when it is so needed.

Kathleen A. Provost is currently the Vice President, Philanthropy and Communications at United for Literacy (previously Frontier College), a national organization with 125 years of community partnerships in Canada, offering free tutoring and mentoring to adult, youth, and children who need literacy and numeracy support. Kathleen has over 30 years of experience in the charitable sector. She has been a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) since 2007 and a long-time member and volunteer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Kathleen holds a Masters degree in Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University as well as a Baccalaureate Arts in Political Science and a certificate in Public Relations from McGill University. As a recognized leader, Kathleen has tailored presentations for French and English audiences at various events including AFP-Nova Scotia, AFP-Ottawa, AFP-National Congress, Coady Institute and the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education. She has received numerous recognitions during her career, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her contributions to the charitable sector and was recognized as 2021 Fundraiser of the Year in Nova Scotia. She writes this column exclusively for each issue of Foundation Magazine.