Can one person’s generosity really make a difference?

The debate on the impact of a single person in the world has been waged for generations. Even with the humbling context of a world population of more than 8 billion the conclusion is a positive response.

There is little disagreement about how much an individual means to everyone in their bloodline, circle of friends, and other loved ones.

But when you donate precious gifts of time, talent, and treasure, the family of those you care about and those who care about you grows exponentially. So does the power to touch, improve, and save more lives, especially helping those who are struggling.

Though we cherish the leadership of mega-philanthropists, nonprofit professionals and volunteers undisputedly make a huge difference in the world.

Here’s the best part: by helping others, they are genuinely helping themselves. The facts speak for themselves: donors for all causes, of all amounts, and from all socio-economic backgrounds lead longer, healthier, and happier lives.

This year’s World Happiness Report led by Gallup not only reveals which country is the happiest in the world (Finland) but also underscores the power of kindness. Acts of generosity and belief in others’ goodwill are significant predictors of happiness, even more so than earning a higher salary. These findings couldn’t come at a better time.

Other Gallup trends show that acts of benevolence — helping a stranger, volunteering time, and donating money — have dropped significantly from their pandemic-era peak. Though still higher than pre-pandemic levels, the sudden drop-off in these behaviors raises questions about where these trends might be headed.

Notably, after falling out of the top 20 for the first time last year, the U.S. has not returned. Beyond these rankings, the most recent report focuses on the effect that caring and sharing have on people’s happiness. Despite the rise in generosity during the COVID-19 pandemic, acts of kindness — helping a stranger, volunteering and donating — have lost their momentum. This matters to the world’s future wellbeing because individually, and taken together, these behaviors are all key drivers of happiness.

One of the report’s most striking revelations is that being kind and expecting kindness from others — believing that your wallet would be returned if you lost it — are stronger predictors of happiness than avoiding major negative events like crime or economic hardship. In other words, believing in the goodwill of those around us can have a bigger impact on our wellbeing than earning a higher salary.

All this reaffirms what social scientists have long suggested: Benevolence benefits both the giver and the receiver. Engaging in acts of kindness provides a psychological boost and creates a ripple effect, encouraging others to do the same. Sustained acts of generosity lead to improved mental and physical health, stronger social connections, and even longer lifespans.

From a career devoted to nonprofits, it’s become abundantly clear to me that much of our work is based on faith. Not in a spiritual sense, but in the sense that we are full of “true believers.” We unapologetically believe that:

• The art and science of fundraising work is based on sound principles, strategies, and best practices. That means the investment of the most valuable resource— our time — when invested prudently in the discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors and prospects pays handsome returns.
• Our professional and volunteer team members will deliver the programs and services that motivate donors to make gifts.
• When properly cultivated and solicited, donors and prospects will invest their finite time and money to advance our visions to make the world a better place for everyone.

As characterized by the late Jerold Panas, who sold more books on resource development than everyone else combined, successful fundraisers are “outsized optimists.”

Passion for our respective missions is infectious. When we can align our organizations with the donor’s values, priorities and needs — magic happens. And everyone wins — generous donors, skillful solicitors, and beneficiaries of the mission.

When you’ve been in the fundraising business long enough, you realize that the donor actually derives the most satisfaction and fulfillment from this glorious loop. They grow larger than themselves and embrace the boundless potential of their humanity.

We keenly recognize that the problems surrounding us are so overwhelming that we can feel that we don’t know where to start.

That’s where the resolve of everyone in the nonprofit sector comes alive. By reading to one child at a time, putting a smile on the face of one senior at a time, fostering one stray cat or dog at a time, or introducing culture and the arts to one underserved person at a time, they reinvigorate the sense of hope that more is possible in the world.

And countless unsung heroes enthusiastically do it again, and again, and again. They view everyone in the social sector as brothers and sisters in a common quest to champion the spirit to take matters into our own hands, and in doing so, accomplish the impossible. This boldly reminds us of Abraham Lincoln’s “better angels of our nature.” We reinforce our mantra that we do not shirk responsibility to serve humanity, we welcome it.

We cherish landing on quotes that lift our spirits and put challenges into perspective. Such wisdom is all around us — too many times we just haven’t noticed, especially if it dates way back. To wit: for the first time in my life I’m quoting the iconic children’s story Winnie-the-Pooh created by A. A. Milne: “Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know.”

Belief that one person can indeed make a difference in the world ignites a powerful multiplier effect. Victories and results give birth to greater victories and results.

Some of us are blessed to be born with this conviction grounded in family, while others learn it during the journeys of our lives. There is strength in numbers with the nonprofit sector fueled by 13 million professionals and nearly 80 million unpaid volunteers who work just as hard. And when we get behind the wagon and all push in the same direction, the sky is the limit in what we can accomplish. Make no mistake about it, every day inspiring individuals can and do make a profound difference in pursuit of a brighter, stronger, and more socially just future.