I'd
like to start this thought process by asking you a few
questions: Do you think it if takes you less time to
earn $100 the value of that money changes? Let me put
it another way, do you believe $100 means
more to a person making $50,000 a year than to someone
who makes $250,000 a year?
Apparently, many nonprofits are confused when answering
these questions because the value of money seems to
change! It is almost magical and there is a REAL
presumption that more you make the less value the money
must have. But is this true?
If you make more or have more money there is a
reason. Granted this reason may be because the person
was born into wealth or maybe because the person
inherited a lot of wealth. People also make different
amounts of money in relation to their education and/or
job skills. The reason different people have more money
than
others depends on all sorts of different
situations.
Regardless of how the money was received let's step back
again and look deeper into the question of the value of
money.
The
paper and coin you hold does not discriminate against
the buyer. In our example of $100 the same amount
of gas or food can be purchased so what is the
difference?
Well,
it is because one person has more than the other
person! Ok, so this means the more money you have the
less value you place on it simply because you have more?
Really, is that logical?
Well,
it is not just because one person has more than the
other; it is really because the more money you have the
"easier" life is for you. You know because you don't
have to worry as much about different "things.”
Wow, so more money equals happiness and worrying about
less "things"! Ah, wouldn't it be great if life were
that simple where you could always count on a +
b equaling c no matter what day of the week it occurred.
Nonprofits need to understand that the people they are
seeking to get a donation from know the value of money
just as much as they do. If you make a personal donation
to a cause I would suspect you are not doing so in a
blind fashion, but responding in either in a very
logical way or because of a certain emotion or
attachment you feel for the organization.
Don't assume because someone might earn more or have
more money than you do that the money somehow means less
to them, because in most cases it does not!
Money does not make you worry less nor does it buy
happiness. If it did all the millionaires in the world
would be happy about life. Money is a tool, in the
right hands it can create many things, but it is not the
solution to fixing all problems!
