It is not uncommon for someone new to the advancement field to hold strong assumptions about fundraising, giving, and the human spirit of generosity, that are at odds with the true state of reality.
For example, if you ask people who do not have a history of working directly with donors a question like, “what are the primary motivating factors associated with donors who make significant major gifts?”, you likely will hear answers similar to:
- they want to see their name on the side of a building, or;
- they want a big tax break, or;
- they want other people to think they are important/have money/etc.
From both research and practice, however, we know that these type of self-centered factors are far less motivating for the vast majority of donors than, say, “belief in the mission,” or “a desire to give back.”
Assumptions are part of our human experience. We make and use them everyday. Assumptions are the original “life hacks,” that are hard-wired into our brains to make our lives more efficient and our decisions easier.
But, when we don’t pause from time to time to investigate and question our assumptions, we might find that our approach to work, relationships, even life generally, is based on faulty understandings.
Also worth remembering, humans can tend to assume the least generous motivations when trying to understand someone else’s behavior. And, of course, we can tend to ascribe the most generous motivations to our own behavior.
