Giving is a deeply radical action precisely because it is entirely voluntary.

If you look at the website of a typical nonprofit, it usually has a page containing a wish list. This is a list of the things the organization would love to have, but that they can’t justify purchasing at this time. Since the expectation (rightly so) is that the majority of their budget will go directly towards their primary mission and to the cause or demographic they serve, the needs of the organization itself often come second. 

The wish list is there for the nontraditional donor who wants to go above and beyond and who wants to support not just the cause of the nonprofit, but the nonprofit itself. These people do exist, thankfully. They recognize that in order for you to feed the hungry, for example, you need a roof that doesn’t leak and up-to-date software systems, not just access to more food. These people ask the question that other donors don’t think to ask: “What’s on your wish list?”

It’s not just nonprofits that have wish lists. Every creator has a list of supplies or materials they would love to have but that are beyond their reach financially. Every congregation or community center has a list of technical or mechanical shortcomings they would love to address but that they don’t have the resources to tackle. Every school sporting team and scholastic club has a list of gear and equipment they would love to acquire but that they can’t afford. The next time you want to support an individual, a team, or an organization that you believe in, ask for their wish list. They, more than anyone, will know exactly how you can best help them.

Totally Random Sidebar

It’s not uncommon for a donor to approach a nonprofit and say something along the lines of, “I am deeply passionate about X or Y, and want to give your organization a significant amount of money to build a program around this issue. Is that something you can do?” Unfortunately, many organizations need the money, and so they say, “Of course we can!”

Just to be funny, let’s get a little bit more specific: A donor approaches an organization devoted to teaching incarcerated adults financial literacy. The donor is exceptionally wealthy and deeply passionate about medieval poetry. The donor offers a million dollars to the organization to develop a program that uses medieval poetry to teach the basic principles of accounting. Really? Resist the temptation to be that donor. Give, give freely, and in your generosity ask the recipient what they need most. That kind of genuine curiosity, in and of itself, is a sort of gift.

Copyright 2023 Kesel Wilson (entirely, 100% human-created)

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