Attempting to figure out why people give is complicated, but it s vital to the understanding of fund-raising. People give out of love. They give to leave a legacy. The charitable institutions are well aware they offer an opportunity to give something back to the community. What is exchanged is a feeling, says David Gillig, senior vice president and executive director of the Children s Hospital Foundation.
People make a gift in exchange for a feeling.
But companies often want more. Charity is business, especially for public companies beholden to profit-hungry shareholders. More and more companies include charity events as part of their marketing budgets, fund-raisers say. It is an important distinction. The Internal Revenue Service limits the promotional benefits a company can receive if a payout is listed as a charitable deduction.