How to enjoy giving

Fred Mulder
Art dealer and founder of The Funding Network [1]

I HAVE BEEN GIVING to charity, and helping others give, for a few years now and I have learned a few ways of keeping it enjoyable - fun, even!

First of all, I think in a world where giving isn't the first thing people think of doing, it helps to twist normal activities around a bit: be a bit mischievous. I've had some very pleasing results from this.

"Be a bit mischievous"

I work in the art world, and one situation in which I've tweaked normal commercial practice is where I've got stuck with a client on a price. As a seller I've sometimes offered to accept my potential buyer's offer (which I consider less than the object is actually worth) so long as he donates the difference between his price and mine to a charity we both like.

"Three hot sponsorship tips" [1]
"My giving week" [1]
"An insider's view" [1]
"Spotting a winner" [1]

The first time I did this was on a reasonably big scale: I was selling a Munch woodcut in New York. I knew my client had supported some progressive charities, so I proposed my charity offer. He happily agreed. This resulted in $25,000 going to good causes. Of course we both took a hit, but among other things we'd both cancelled out our need to win!

You can apply this to many kinds of sale. But for it to succeed you do have to bear in mind the interests of the other person. I'm sure there are other variations.

"It's like being one of 20 people squeezed into a phone box rather than just standing in there on your own"

My other big tip is: give with your friends. There are lots of surprising advantages to this.

First, it keeps you giving. Giving on your own can sometimes feel like running a solo marathon. It's a lot more fun to do it with others, especially if you can foresee a lifetime of giving. Other people ask different questions, open your eyes to new ideas and you all learn together and grow together.

You will also find it much easier to be generous when there are others around. Going back to the marathon analogy, giving can be hard work and you might be tempted to stop halfway through - but you're less likely to with runners around you, and later on you'll be very pleased that you didn't.

A last point: the total of your group's giving usually feels like a lot more than the sum of its parts and it certainly achieves a lot more for small charities: several thousand pounds, for example, instead of the £100 you might be able to afford. It gives your donation more weight. It's like breaking a record by being one of 20 people squeezed into a phone box rather than just standing there on your own.

How to enjoy giving

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