Why We Give: Philanthropy and Decision-Making

We all have causes that we are passionate about and most of us have given to a charitable organization or cause at some point in our lives. When the cause is something close to you—your local church, your alma mater or an organization that raises awareness for a disease that a loved one was impacted by—it’s easy to make the decision to give. But what about when times are tough for you financially? Or when there’s more than one cause vying for your contributions? What about a cause that does not directly impact you or your loved ones?

For philanthropic organizations, part of the work of building awareness and raising funds involves understanding who they are speaking to and what encourages them to make a decision in your favor.

In this webinar, our experts, Keith Brown, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology at Saint Joseph's University, and Tom Riley, friend and partner of the University and President of the Connelly Foundation, take us on a deep dive into the motivations behind Americans’ charitable giving behaviors and the ethical decision-making process that so many individuals are experiencing right now during the Giving Season. The webinar was moderated by Kristin Prinn '04, MSW, LCSW, founder and executive director of LUCY Outreach.