The Generosity Commission

Be sure to check out Commissioner Kenneth Hodder, Jane Wales and Art Taylor on the Heart of Giving Podcast as they reflect on The Generosity Commission's report.

If you are at ARNOVA, stop in to hear Jane Wales, Benjamin Soskis, Woodrow Rosenbaum, Victoria Vrana and Alan Abramson discuss the research recommendations from the Generosity Commission's report.

Join us on December 2 to discuss the Generosity Commission's report and explore strategies to rekindle the spirit of generosity. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gJ8zYE6z

The Generosity Commission, co-chaired by PSI Executive Director Jane Wales, released its capstone report, Everyday Actions, Extraordinary Potential: The Power of Giving and Volunteering, in mid-September. The event, held at The Aspen Institute's Washington, D.C., offices, drew leaders across the nonprofit and philanthropic sector. Scroll through Memory Lane and then visit the links to access the report and news coverage of the release. Download the full report: https://lnkd.in/g3f5fuW5 Read the news coverage: https://lnkd.in/ejQMngzu Watch the Commission's pre-release video: https://lnkd.in/gaaFrVgD

Here's my take on the recent report from The Generosity Commission, and an opportunity for you to find out more about how giving is changing in an upcoming webinar with Ted Grossnickle and Jane Wales on 10/31. We are at a crucial moment for fundraising and philanthropy, friends. Let's seize it.

According to a new, in-depth report published by The Generosity Commission, generosity in the U.S. is declining. The report revealed that fewer American households are donating to or volunteering for charities. At Deep, we were curious to explore the ‘Sentiment Score’ surrounding generosity, i.e. how positively or negatively these terms are perceived in online media. Is generosity seen as a virtuous trait, reflecting genuine care for others and a desire to improve their well-being? Or does it carry more negative sentiment, cynically interpreted as a virtue signalling mechanism? We analysed four key terms: ‘philanthropy’, ‘generosity’, ‘donation’ and ‘altruism’. Our sentiment analysis of all English-language articles over the past three months revealed that these terms are still perceived favourably. On a scale from -100 to +100, these terms scored +65, +45, +7 and 0 respectively. This positive perception is encouraging, especially considering the scale of social challenges, such as global poverty and animal suffering, that charitable giving can help alleviate. It also confirms that the reasons behind this decline in generosity lie elsewhere. According to this Vox article by Rachel Cohen, delays in traditional markers of adulthood, such as marriage or buying a house, decreasing religiosity and declining trust in institutions are the likely culprits. #generosity #charity #volunteering #mediamonitoring

Fabulous op-ed in the The Chronicle of Philanthropy from the unstoppable Armando Zumaya who I got to *finally* meet in person he other night at the The NonProfit Times Top 50 thing. Important and specific recommendations to add to the The Generosity Commission's list, Jane Wales and Mike Gianoni! Rousing call to action: "Let’s challenge the notion that fundraising is something to hide, ignore, or feel uncomfortable about. Let’s say out loud, with no sarcasm, that fundraising is beautiful. Let’s raise up fundraising as a cause unto itself. It’s the engine of philanthropy. We need to help it run." Huzzah! https://lnkd.in/ebgXSXJA

In The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Armando Enrique Zumaya of Somos El Poder highlights a recommendation from The Generosity Commission's recent capstone report: “more funding from organized philanthropy for the fundraising capacity of their grantees.” Zumaya offers suggestions on how funders can invest in fundraising itself to help fundraisers excel and make an org's mission more achievable through this crucial support. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gKjbk9i7 Read The Generosity Commission's capstone report: https://lnkd.in/ekdM3KRS

The Generosity Commission, a cross-sector project of Giving USA Foundation and The Giving Institute, recently released their landmark report outlining the ways we can bolster giving, volunteerism, and a brighter future for American civil society. We agree that this requires forward-looking leadership and ideas - such as their recommendations to prioritize the energy and ideas of youth, harness the scale of the private sector, and more. https://lnkd.in/gud4HQ_K 

Civic participation is the backbone of a thriving democracy. Despite rising overall charitable giving, fewer Americans are giving and volunteering, reflecting a troubling trend. Jane Wales, Executive Director of the Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation @ Aspen Institute, and Mike Gianoni, President, CEO, & Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Blackbaud, explore the importance of everyday generosity in strengthening our democracy in their latest TIME article. These acts of generosity are essential for building social connections, bridging divides, and mobilizing communities around shared values. Head to the article to dive into The Generosity Commission’s recent capstone report, Everyday Actions, Extraordinary Potential: The Power of Giving and Volunteering, and understand the reasons behind the steep decline, including economic precarity, social isolation, and decreased civic trust: https://lnkd.in/d53eZKaW