On this Day 210 Years Ago
We have a rich heritage of generosity in North America, dating back to pre-colonial times and the original indigenous peoples that lived in what is now the U.S. and Canada.
By the nation’s founding in 1776, the roots of private philanthropy in the U.S. were already deep, resulting in the founding of many churches, clinics, schools, orphanages, libraries, colleges, and hospitals.
The earliest documented case of one-to-one sponsorship dates back to May 24, 1815, when a group of missionaries to Bombay, India, penned a letter to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission (ABCFM) in Salem, Massachusetts.
The letter proposed the concept of Christian donors “sponsoring” children while they lived in missionary homes and schools. In the ensuing months, the ABCFM wrote that the plan was “very captivating” and “contributions and communal subscriptions for this object exceed our most sanguine expectations.”
In today’s subscription economy, the irony is not lost on me that the first recurring giving program in our nation’s history was referred to as a “communal subscription.”
“Communal subscription.” I like the ring of that.
It’s amazing to think that recurring giving in the United States was born on May 24, 1815, more than two hundred years ago.
💡 Takeaway: Recurring giving in the United States is not new, dating back to the nation’s foundations. May 24 marks the 210th anniversary of sustainable recurring giving in the U.S. Today, recurring giving is more accessible to more nonprofits than ever before.
May 24: National Sustainable Giving Day
To celebrate the heritage of sustainable recurring giving in the United States, I propose that we designate May 24 as National Sustainable Giving Day – a day to celebrate the heritage of ongoing generosity that our nation has enjoyed, and to promote sustainable giving.
The earliest recurring programs were rooted in the care for other people, creating connection among real, live, breathing human beings. The best recurring giving programs are not focused on process or even outcomes – they connect people to real human needs and to each other.
My hope is that May 24 can become a day to mark the importance of ongoing, sustainable generosity. A day to shed light on the opportunities that recurring sustainable giving affords to causes and donors alike.
Are you with me?
Until next week… Surf’s Up! 🌊
- Dave
About the Author | Dave Raley
Consultant, speaker, and author Dave Raley is the founder of Imago Consulting, a firm that helps nonprofits and businesses who serve nonprofits create profitable growth through sustainable innovation. He’s the author of the book The Rise of Sustainable Giving: How the Subscription Economy is Transforming Recurring Giving, and What Nonprofits Can Do to Benefit. Dave also writes a weekly innovation and leadership column called The Wave Report, and the co-founder of the Purpose & Profit Podcast — a show about the ideas at the intersection of nonprofit causes and for-profit brands. Connect with Dave on LinkedIn.
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