Gender, Geography and Generosity

Did you ever wonder how your community's giving compares to other areas? Do you feel certain that rich people - especially men - are more generous? Would you guess that Democrats give more than Republicans? Two new reports provide some thought-provoking and surprising data about the role gender and geography play in charitable donations.

According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy's fascinating new report, it turns out rich folks and Democrats don't necessarily give more money. And geography does matter:

• Rich folks who live in affluent communities donate a smaller share of their income than those who live in economically mixed areas.
• Red states are seemingly more generous - the top eight states in annual giving voted for McCain in 2008, while the lowest seven supported Obama.
• Religious affiliation strongly affects giving patterns - the most generous states are Utah and Idaho (where Mormons are expected to tithe at least 10% of their income), and the remaining states in the top nine are all in the Bible Belt.
• But when contributions to religious institutions are removed from the equation, the geography of giving changes substantially - New York vaults from a pitiful 17 up to second place while Pennsylvania jumps from 40th to fourth.

This report documents giving patterns in every state and city in the nation, based on IRS records of people who itemize deductions. Here are some statistics from places near you. The first figure is the  median donation, the second represents the region's median discretionary income (funds available after basic living expenses are paid), and the third is the median percentage of discretionary income donated:

• U.S.: $2,654 -- $54,783 -- 4.7%
• California: $2,306 -- $54,000 - 4.4%
• San Francisco: $2,180 -- $56,596 -- 3.9%
• Sonoma County:$1,809 -- $54,304 -- 3.5%
• Petaluma: $1,752 -- $57,580 -- 3%
• Santa Rosa: $1,9717 -- $53,684 -- 3.6%
• Marin County: $2,769 -- $56,585 -- 4.9%
• San Rafael: $2,600 -- $63,620 -- 4.1%
• Point Reyes Station: $3,166 -- $54,931 -- 5.8%

I'm pleased and proud to see that my hometown of Point Reyes Station tops the charts in percentage of giving - despite being one of the lowest income communities in Marin County. You can look up your community at http://philanthropy.com/section/How-America-Gives/621/

As to gender, according to a recent study by the Women's Philanthropy Institute, women age 50 and older give more than men - much more:

• Women at every giving level donate a bigger share of their income and they donate in larger amounts.
• In the highest bracket, women donate sums that are two times more than men at a similar level - for every $100 given by affluent men, women gave $256.

The moral of this story is: don't make assumptions about who will give and who will not. Your best prospect isn't necessarily the successful, well-to-do, older, upper class male who lives in an affluent community - it could be the woman from the Boomer Generation who lives right next door.

How to Write Communiqués That Get Read


Like many of you, I get lots of mail and email from nonprofit organizations - and it is extraordinary how much of it is poorly written and constructed. Here are some important tips for making your written materials more compelling and readable:

• Create a catchy subject: Use no more than ten words. Pose a question to get people thinking. Use numbers, especially odd ones - odd numbers seem more definitive, and numbers draw your reader's eye. Use colons or hyphens.
• Focus on your first and last paragraphs: These are things people are most likely to read, so make your case here powerful and understandable (in case your reader fails to read anything else). In a letter, be sure to use a P.S. to stress your most important point.
• Make it brief: Minimize text. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, short letters. Short makes it easy for people to scan, which is what most folks do in these very busy times.
• Use visual images: A great photo or video can often convey your message better than words. People especially like photos of themselves, people and places that they know, cute children, and puppies (kittens work well too).
• Use bullets: People won't read a long paragraph of information but they will look at bullets or numbered lists. This is a great way to highlight recent program achievements.
• Format your text well: Use bold, italics, and color for emphasis, and choose an easily readable font. If you're sending something out via email or posting on your website, be sure to choose a common font that translates well into different browsers (i.e. Arial or Helvetica).
• Tell a story: Highlight your important work with a short story about a client who has benefitted or a program and the impact it has had.
• Hone your talking points: Take the time with your staff and board to brainstorm the best way to communicate what you do. Find words and phrases that are powerful and meaningful.
• Punctuation and grammar count: I don't think I'm alone in feeling that bad punctuation and grammar are an indication of a poorly run organization.
• Always proofread: Don't depend solely on spell-check; there are so many ways it can go wrong. And be sure to have another person review what you've written. It's amazing how often a glaring error gets missed, particularly in a document you've been working on for a long time.

P.S. Save time by always saving what you write so you can cut-and-paste liberally for use in future letters and newsletters.

Top Ten Time Management Tips


Are you feeling overworked and overwhelmed? Does it seem like you are getting buried under an avalanche of email, phone messages, and deadlines? Here are a few tips to help you organize your time more effectively:


1) Use a to-do list: This can be a handwritten list or a list on your computer desktop. It doesn't matter which method you use - but it does matter that you actually review and update the list at the beginning of every work day. And be sure to break bigger projects down into smaller, more manageable tasks.

2) Set priorities each day: Mark the most important items by underlining or using bold type or any other symbol you like. This doesn't mean you have to work on these first; I actually recommend putting a couple of simple, easy chores on your list that you can cross off quickly. It helps to start the day with a sense of accomplishment.

3) Resist procrastination: Once you've emptied the trash or made the easy phone call, take a deep breath and go to work. "I'll get to it later" is not a good mantra.

4) Track deadlines systematically: Use ICal or Outlook to keep up with important dates for grant applications, reports, events, meetings, and regular tasks. Set your program to send an email reminder, so you don't have to lie awake nights worrying that you missed a deadline.

5) Manage your communications: Designate the first half hour of your day for emails and phone messages. Answer those that can be dealt with quickly; prioritize the rest and put them on your to-do list. Then get to work - and unless you are expecting something crucial - stop checking your email.

6) Minimize interruptions: Use voice mail to screen calls and allow for unimpeded work time. Schedule phone meetings. Define times in the day when you are available and when you are not. Don't answer the phone if you really don't have time to talk. Learn to say no gently and gracefully.

7) Take time to communicate personally with co-workers, donors, volunteers, and clients. There is no substitution for actual, real-time personal interaction for strengthening and sustaining your organizational work. Plus it's a good idea to take your eyes off the computer screen every once in awhile.

8) Leave contingency time in every day: The unpredictable happens. You can't prepare yourself for surprises or glitches, but you can leave some extra time to deal with them.

9) Take breaks: Get up. Stretch. Take a short walk around the block. Eat lunch (preferably not at your desk). You'll feel better and work better.

10) Reward yourself: Don't forget to reward yourself when you complete a big project, submit that grant application, or finish making your fundraising calls.


Face it - your nonprofit work will never be done. There will always be programs to manage, problems to solve, and more money to raise. So breathe, take it easy on yourself - and be sure to use that to-do list.