The Landscape of Fundraising - Essay Example

The distribution, size and frequency of charitable donations from individual givers are solely dependent on their, largely static, personal values. Therefore, there is little that a charity can do to attempt to increase its share of donor revenue from the general public Table of Contents Part 1 3 Introduction 3 Donation is an activity of pro-social behaviour, altruism and benevolence 4 Why do individual donate? 5 Conclusion 6 Part 2 7 References 9 Part 1 Introduction In today’s age, the landscape of fundraising or donations is changing rapidly. This is mainly due to change of psychological behaviours and motives of the individual or the young donors. The psychology of the donors of today’s age is mainly to help others in orders to enhance their life style and living standard so as to improve the reputation of the nation among others. Therefore, it is the psychological behaviour or motivation of the donors that proves effective for the charitable organizations. Psychological behaviour acts as an internal or external process that enhances enthusiasm as well as eagerness to perform any specific behaviour or actions. Thus, it might be stated that the inner psychology of an individual or donors encourages the inner essence of voluntarism, so as to benefit others. However, the prime spirit of this behaviour is to help or co-operate others without any sort of motives or intentions. However, maximum extent of the individual of this age desires to help others in order to attain a good feeling within their hearts that might act as a motivator in order to improve their performances at work. But inner psychology varies from one individual to another and so the rate of distribution, size and frequency of charitable donations is also differing to a significant extent. As a result of which, the rate of donations or charitable amount is reducing to a significant extent that may hinder their activities or actions (Clarke, 2003, pp. 145-156). This essay mainly tries to highlight that donations or charity is entirely dependent on the motives and personal values or beliefs of the individual rather than on any other factors. However, in order to describe it, three sections are made, introduction, discussion and conclusion. Discussion Donation is an activity of pro-social behaviour, altruism and benevolence Donation is described as an act to help others without any sort of personal rewards or intentions. It is entirely due to pro-social behaviour or voluntary behaviour. Pro-social behaviour is encouraged due to empathy or the concern for the well-being of the societal members. It mainly comprises of positive features or traits that helps to enhance the well-being of the society or nation. Thus, it might be stated that pro-social behaviour includes positive communal consequences and it leads to physical well-being. However, due to such charitable deeds or pro-social behaviours, the level of poverty and illiteracy is reducing significantly thereby amplifying the scope of success. Other than individual factors, situational factors are also directly responsible for pro-social behaviour. One of the situational factors is bystander effect. As per this effect, an individual’s intention of helping reduces after viewing the position in which the passive bystanders are standing. This means, that the individual comprising pro-social attitude fails to analyse, whether assistance is required or not. However, due to such miss-confusions, the individual fails to offer support or help. Similarly, in case of charitable organizations, if the donor fails to under the necessity of donations, then he or she might change his intention of donations. However, the rate of donations is directly dependent over the personal values or beliefs of the individual rather than on genetic values (Clarke, 2003, 245-256). Apart from this, altruism is also another important aspect of pro-social behaviour. Altruism is also described as selflessness that encourages the donors or individual to present a specific amount of revenue for the well-being and happiness of others. It is either attained due to genetic values or cultural or religious practices that persuades the purely altruism individual to sacrifice various things for the happiness of others. However, in order to perform such actions, no rewards or personal motive is present within the minds of the individual. Other than altruism, benevolence is another important inner quality of individual donors. Benevolence is also recognised as the inner quality of helping and cooperating with other individual for the sake of enhancing the well-being and interests of others. Thus, it might be clearly stated that due to these above mentioned inner qualities, the intention of donations or charity is increasing at a rapid rate that enhances the health and well-being of others. Why do individual donate? The individual donates mainly to help others in order to improve their living standard and well-being as stated by the theory of evolutionary psychology. It is described as the theoretical approach to explain varied types of psychological traits such as perception, intentions and sensitivity etc. Such type of psychological traits present in human beings is entirely related with the theory of Charles Darwin, origin of Species. As per this theory, each and every individual comprises of certain amount of emotions and sentiments for others. On the basis of this theory, the feeling of donation or charity came into limelight that enhanced the well-being of numerous unwanted individual. Moreover, due to such type of feelings, the frequency of charitable donation is increasing at a rapid pace in the entire world that amplified the life style of the unwanted and poor individual. Thus, it might be stated that due to the presence of these inner qualities, an individual gets motivated towards the concept of donations or charity (Clarke, 2003, pp. 223-234). Furthermore, these qualities of helping or sharing something with other are also an inherent aspect of culture or religion. Other than culture, the thinking perspective of the individual of this age is changing rapidly and they always desire to spend a huge amount of money over the un-privilege individual so as to attain good feeling or happiness in their heart. This is because; according to them, donation or helping the unwanted or poor individual is their moral duty as a citizen and so they always try to do so. Therefore, due to such inner beliefs, the rate of charitable donations is increasing at a rapid extent as compared to others. In addition, as per the theory of empathy or altruism, maximum extent of the donors desire to present their earnings for the poor individual in order to make them educated and capable to make their own living. By doing so, the economic condition of the nation might get enhanced to a significant extent thereby amplifying its reputation in the entire globe among others. Apart from this, the level of poverty and unemployment might also get reduced, that may prove effective for the nation as well as the citizens. However, in-spite of such feelings or inner qualities, there are certain barriers that force an individual to limit their rate of donations. Among such barriers, lack of utilisation of the funds in proper way is considered as one of the most important cause of limitation in the rate of donation amount. Other than this, psychology is also responsible for the reduction of the amount of donations in the charitable organizations. Thus, due to these beliefs and values, the donation amount of the charities is decreasing and it is almost impossible for them to increase their share of revenue from the general public. As a result of which, the charitable organizations are failing to offer proper care for the unwanted individual and so its preference is also fading day by day. Thus, it might be stated that the prime reason for which, the preference or amount of share of the charitable organizations is reducing mainly due to improper psychological values and beliefs of the general public. Moreover, due to improper utilisation of the donated funds, the amount of charitable fund is reducing in this age (Clarke, 2003, pp. 123-134). Conclusion Conclusively, it might be stated that, due to improper psychological values and beliefs of the individual, the amount of share of the revenues of the charitable organizations is reducing. As a result of which, the charitable organizations are failing to offer accurate care and opportunities for the unwanted individual. Moreover, due to lack of donation amount, the charitable organizations, are also failing to offer proper educational as well as health care facilities to the poor citizens that reduced its image and position in the market among many other rival players. However, the management team is unable to improve their share of revenue so as to enhance their condition and scenario in the market. The donation amount might be improved only if the general public desires to present a large amount. Otherwise, it is impossible to increase the share of amount of the charitable organizations. Part 2 Life is a highly recognised, pro-life charitable organization operating successfully in the region of mill-street of United Kingdom (LifeCharity, 2014). It mainly tries to help the individual facing problems due to abortion, crisis pregnancy or any sort of serious problem related to pregnancy or others such as heart attract, blood cancers etc. Apart from this, it also includes a huge network of care centres in different regions of United Kingdom so as to offer proper training and education related to pregnancy related difficulties, immature pregnancy, abortion etc (LifeCharity, 2014). Other than this, Life also offers free pregnancy tests, varied types of baby clothes, as well as varied types of equipments so as to improve their mentality regarding pregnancy and abortion (LifeCharity, 2014). Apart from this, Life also offers housing facilities to the pregnant women as well as to the unsupported mothers so as to increase the birth rate of the individual and to reduce the premature deaths of the small ones. The houses offered by Life include all sorts of facilities such as kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, lawns etc so as to maintain their lives in a very easy way as compared to others. Furthermore, varied types of educational programs are also offered by the trained staffs of Life so as to reduce their negative attitudes and outlooks (LifeCharity, 2014). The organization of Life of United Kingdom is performing varied types of campaigns in online sites or social media so as to improve their level of donation amounts as well as other donations like organs. Along with this, in order to improve the funds from government Supporting People programme and general public through their social media sites such as Facebook, twitter etc. In these campaigns, the organization of Life tries to highlight the problems that may take place within the body of the individual due to such disorders such as kidney damage. As a result of kidney disorder, the chance of pregnancy also reduces to a significant extent thereby increasing the chances of deaths. By viewing this information, numerous individual might become attracted towards the organization of ‘Life’ for presenting donations. As a result of which, not only revenues, varied types of organs may also be attained by the individual suffering from such types of disorders. Other than these campaigns, the organization of Life is using their online site in order to increase their donation amounts (Kitchen, 2014). They are requesting the general public to present varied types of gifts and amounts as legacy to the unwanted individual or pregnant individual of Life so as to improve their livings. This proved extremely effective for them that amplified their reputation and market share of the organization of Life in the market of United Kingdom among others (Supportlife, 2014). The campaigns presented by Life of United Kingdom might become highly successful thereby amplifying the rate of funds or revenues presented by government agencies as well as general public. Only then, the preference and image of these charitable organizations like Life might become enhanced as compared to others. Thus, due to the presentation of these type of campaigns, the rate of revenues might get increased that may prove beneficial for the neglected pregnant individual of the region of United Kingdom and others. Due to these underlining causes, maximum extent of the charitable organizations is offering high preference over promotion or campaign of their benefits, so as to attract numerous customers towards their organizations. Only then, their rate of revenues might get enhanced to a significant extent that may improve their care and facilities towards the pregnant or diseased citizens of United Kingdom and others. References Clarke, P. 2003. Pro-social and Anti-social Behaviour. London: Sage. Kitchen, R. 2014. Campaign - Hundreds back Advertiser donor drive. [Online]. Available at: http://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/campaign-hundreds-back-advertiser-donor-drive-1-6643217 [Accessed on 3rd June, 2014]. LifeCharity, 2014. Mission. [Online]. Available at: http://www.lifecharity.org.uk/mission [Accessed on 3rd June, 2014]. LifeCharity, 2014. About Us. [Online]. Available at: http://www.lifecharity.org.uk/about-us [Accessed on 3rd June, 2014]. LifeCharity, 2014. Care. [Online]. Available at: http://www.lifecharity.org.uk/care [Accessed on 3rd June, 2014]. LifeCharity, 2014. Educational facilities. [Online]. Available at: http://www.lifecharity.org.uk/education [Accessed on 3rd June, 2014]. LifeCharity, 2014. Housing facilities. [Online]. Available at: http://www.lifecharity.org.uk/housing [Accessed on 3rd June, 2014]. Supportlife, 2014. Legacy. [Online]. Available at: http://www.supportlife.org.uk/yourlegacy [Accessed on 3rd June, 2014]. Read More