Why I Give: America's Giving Challenge

I just read this great post by Beth Dunn, Reflections on the America's Giving Challenge. The winners of the challenge each get $50,000 in addition to what was donated during the challenge.   She was writing about the results of the Challenge from Parade Magazine and the Case Foundation, and reflecting on why certain 'organizations' did better then others.  Why did Amnesty International fall short?  One of her key points:

...I think it points to the difference between “organizations” trying to mobilize online supporters, and people trying to mobilize other people.

For some reason this really got me thinking about why I got involved. Maybe this is sort of obvious, but if its not personal I don't think I give.  So the question is how does it become personal to me? Then, what motivates me to give, or prevents me from giving?

Here's the process I went through -  probably mostly subconsciously:

• Beth Kanter is doing this challenge
• I like Beth and want to be seen in her eyes as someone worthy.  I want to help her if its not too much of a burden on me. 
• I’d like to do the challenge myself for the cause that is important to me, but it feels overwhelming to me.
• Beth’s cause is a good one...  and more importantly, she is an intense believer in it.   She appears to have absolutely no problem in telling the entire world how great this is.  This is something I wish I could do.
  
• Beth is a winner.  She won last year, so I know she can win this year.  I can be on the winning team.  (hmmm I'm thinking of Beth as the winner here.... when its really an organization wide effort... but I only know Beth.)
  • Why is she a winner?
• I am overwhelmed by the amount of requests I get for giving.  How does this one get to the top of the pile?
  
  • Its been vetted for me already by my friend Beth
    
  • I can leverage my $10 into $50,000
  • Beth will like me.
• The more I am asked to give, the more the personal relevance of the cause increases.
• The barrier of entry for me is low...
  
  • I can afford to give $10.   
  • I trust the mechanism for giving  (Global Giving Website)
  • I have a way to give easily (Credit Card)
• It seems that this process is then repeated down the line with my friends and contacts who have their own set of reasons why something is personal to them.  I'm not sure what those things are.  I started to write down some ideas and felt that I was treading on murky territory.  I wish Beth Kanter would do a survey asking people.  If only one could get the email list from Global Giving.

So what does that all translate into?

1. I give because it is easy
2. Because I get personal satisfaction out of it
3. Its going to a good cause

Not sure if this adds to the conversation, but it really got me thinking.

Why do you give or not?