Can An Atheist Be An Angel?
The answer is YES if you're Bob Wilson.
Bob, along with Ted Turner, is one of my favorite philanthropists. Both are iconoclasts who never fail to surprise, even when one appreciates the underlying values that drive their giving.
Bob, ranked 12th in 2006 on the Chronicle of Philanthropy's list of most-generous donors, just gave $22.5 million to fund need-based scholarships to New York City Catholic schools.
Bob's an atheist.
As reported by Bloomberg, Bob's explanation is twofold. As he says: “Let's face it, without the Roman Catholic Church, there would be no Western civilization.” And he points out that he's giving the money to pay tuition, not giving directly to the schools. A fine point for the canon scholars, Bob! Students need not be Roman Catholic to apply.
To the beneficiaries, there's no question, Bob will be an angel. And he would be to the Jesuits who taught me.
I wonder how an atheist reconciles himself to being an angel! And does he demur when St. Peter eventually invites him through the pearly gates?
Tom
Thanks to Chronicle of Philanthropy for heads-up.
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
Read Full Answer
Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
Read Full Answer
Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
Read Full Answer
There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
Read Full Answer