Don’t Overlook a $100 Gift

When we talk about philanthropy, it is easy for major gifts, campaign totals, and big numbers to get the most attention. But the size of someone’s gift today only tells part of the story.

A donor who gives $100 may continue giving year after year. They may volunteer, attend events, introduce others to an organization, or become an advocate for a cause they care about. As their connection grows, so can the ways they choose to support it.

That is why relationships play such an important role in philanthropy.

Every donor has a reason they chose to give. Maybe they have a personal connection to a cause. Maybe they have seen an organization’s work firsthand. Maybe they simply saw a need in the community and wanted to help.

Over time, those connections can deepen. A longtime donor may eventually choose to give appreciated assets, support an endowment, name an organization as a beneficiary, or include a charitable gift in their estate plan.

Those decisions often develop over years. Staying connected to the work, understanding the impact of a gift, and seeing how an organization serves the community can all shape how someone chooses to give in the future.

As year-end approaches, it is worth remembering the role every gift plays in our community. A $100 gift may look small next to a campaign total, but for the donor making it, that gift may represent the beginning of something much bigger.

You never know how someone’s relationship with a cause or organization may grow over time.

At the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, we have the opportunity to see those relationships develop across our community. Whether someone is making an annual gift, supporting an endowment, considering a planned gift, or exploring another way to give, we are here to help connect generosity with the causes that matter to them.