130: Empathy Builds Buildings

"... In light of the science, inviting someone to give is really inviting them to tap into these biologically rooted joys of generosity..."

I am reading from Neurogiving. The Science of Donor Decision-Making by Cherian Koshy, published in 2025.

Reflection questions:

• What stories are you telling that lead into the tours of the construction or the displays of the architectural renderings?

• Are you fully embracing the concept of generosity as a deeply rooted biological need for being human?

Reflections on the quote:

Over the next few weeks, we will be exploring how generosity is deeply embedded into what it means to be human and how that impacts capital campaigns, using insights from a book recently released by my friend and colleague Cherian Koshy.  

As we pull out the donor packet with architectural renderings and details about the construction and renovations to show a potential capital campaign donor, it is vital that we don’t forget the role of empathy.  Beautiful drawings of the new building or renovation won’t spark giving.  As Cherian wrote, empathy is the bridge to giving.  A story of a beneficiary walking into that building to receive the services they desperately need. A story of a program staff having the space finally to creatively overcome the challenges their nonprofit seeks to solve. A story of a place where the public to be immersed in goodness, wonder, and beauty.  These stories of other humans are the sparks that bridge a donor’s understanding to the act of giving to capital campaigns in our small towns.  In addition, it is through these stories and one-on-one conversations that we see the donor for their hopes, fears, and comfort.  When we see the donor and the pleasure and bonding that giving brings, we can present the case for support as an opportunity for the donor to experience the deep roots of joy.

Here's how to purchase Neurogiving from Wiley or Amazon.

Quote used by permission.

To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper and to schedule an free explore coaching call, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

Transcript

Welcome back. This podcast explores the beautiful space where generosity occurs through ancient and modern writings from all cultures and religions, seeking deeper wisdom for capital campaign work in small towns. If you like this podcast, please rate or review in your favorite podcast app.

Over the next few weeks, we will be exploring how generosity is deeply embedded into what it means to be human and how that impacts capital campaigns, using insights from a book recently released by my friend and colleague Cherian Koshy.  You can purchase his book using the link in the show notes.  So, this week, I am reading from Neurogiving. The Science of Donor Decision-Making by Cherian Koshy, published in 2025.

Quote

Understanding that giving literally triggers pleasure and bonding in the brain has important implications for how we approach fundraising. It enables us to reframe a donation ask not as a cold financial transaction or a loss, but as an opportunity – an opportunity for the donor to experience something positive. In light of the science, inviting someone to give is really inviting them to tap into these biologically rooted joys of generosity.

Empathy is the bridge between understanding and action. It is built into our neural wiring through mirror neurons and shared circuits that make us feel a bit of what others feel. It can be nurtured with personal stories and one-on-one connections. And it is a primary driver of altruistic behavior, transforming charitable giving from a mere transaction into a deeply felt human experience. For fundraisers, recognizing the role of empathy means that we are not just in the business of conveying information; we are in the business of cultivating human understanding. When a potential donor can look at a situation of need and truly see another human being – to feel their hopes, fears, or relief, that is when the decision to help moves from the head to the heart, and that's when generosity flows most freely.

Unquote

As we pull out the donor packet with architectural renderings and details about the construction and renovations to show a potential capital campaign donor, it is vital that we don’t forget the role of empathy.  Beautiful drawings of the new building or renovation won’t spark giving.  As Cherian wrote, empathy is the bridge to giving.  A story of a beneficiary walking into that building to receive the services they desperately need. A story of a program staff having the space finally to creatively overcome the challenges their nonprofit seeks to solve. A story of a place where the public to be immersed in goodness, wonder, and beauty.  These stories of other humans are the sparks that bridge a donor’s understanding to the act of giving to capital campaigns in our small towns.  In addition, it is through these stories and one-on-one conversations that we see the donor for their hopes, fears, and comfort.  When we see the donor and the pleasure and bonding that giving brings, we can present the case for support as an opportunity for the donor to experience the deep roots of joy.

Let’s reflect on 2 questions this week:

What stories are you telling that lead into the tours of the construction or the displays of the architectural renderings?

Are you fully embracing the concept of generosity as a deeply rooted biological need for being human?

Share this podcast if you enjoy these five-minute reflections and subscribe to receive these reflections released every Monday. To explore small town capital campaign coaching deeper, visit Serving Nonprofits dot com. See you next week.