The concept of philanthropy has been defined as, “private giving for public purposes.” This relationship between private and public interests is of sociological significance. What do we know about sociology and philanthropy? Over time social scientists have found interest in different elements of philanthropy.

There have been critiques about the potential motivations of ‘givers.’ Do people really give in the interest of the cause or organization, or are they donating to feel better about themselves in some way. Rather, do people give to a cause or do they give for their own cause? Not to mention those that may give for tangible benefits such as tax incentives.

There have also been elements of philanthropy that have been praised. Social scientists have studied the impact of philanthropy on the person donating. Research has actually suggested that philanthropy is good for the donating persons’ well-being. “These authors have engaged with long-standing claims, taken from sociology and political science, that charitable giving increases donors’ physical and mental well-being.” (Barman, 2017).

Access to Philanthropy

While sociologists and social scientists have studied philanthropy from many angles, I still think that access to philanthropy is one area that needs some attention. There is the obvious point that in order to give money, a person has to have some level of surplus. A person can give their time in the form of volunteering, but this brings up a problem for working families, of course, due to long work hours, expensive childcare, and other factors.

Now, let’s take it further. Let’s talk about people that have a few extra dollars and have the motivation to donate. There is still a challenge with access to philanthropy for these people. You have to research and find a worthy cause. Then you have to find organizations dedicated to your interest. Then you want to dig a little into the organization and what it does, and make a decision on whether to donate and how much. The point is there is a whole process that goes into donating for most people, because most of us do not have a ton of money to donate, so we want to make sure we do the best we can.

Colorado Gives Day

Now I said that I think there is a shortage of research on the matter of philanthropy to the everyday person. But, organizations and people in the non-profit sector have noticed, and folks have been innovative in their solutions. Take for instance Colorado Gives Day. While they call themselves a “day,” this event is typically held over a month, starting in early November and ending on Colorado Gives Day in early December. This state-wide funding event is hosted by the Colorado Gives Foundation and provides registered non-profit organizations with access to the foundation’s incentive fund, which makes every dollar donated to their organization during the giving period go even further.

Obviously this is a great program for non-profit organizations to increase their donations, but it is also a time where the people of Colorado have simple access to philanthropy. Participating organizations have a reason to increase their advertising across the internet and social media and people around Colorado will have regular access to social causes and organizations.

Final Thoughts on Sociology and Philanthropy

Social scientists have touched on many aspects of philanthropy, but there is room for additional sociological research on the top of access to philanthropy. Programs like Colorado Gives Day, are the non-profit sector’s solution, and it is unclear at this point whether they actually work. But these are creative solutions which is why we are happy to support two different organizations that are participating in Colorado Gives Day 2024; Hartman Castle Preservation Corp. and Colorado Dance Collective.

Hartman Castle Preservation Corp.

The Hartman Castle Preservation Corp. is described on their website as the following,

“We are a grassroots, non-profit organization dedicated to saving the historic Hartman Castle. We are fortunate that we have been offered the opportunity to buy the home at its existing location, along with two additional historic buildings. Once restored, the site will once again be a Gunnison treasure, to be enjoyed for generations to come.”

We have worked with this organization in a couple of capacities and you can check out some of our content from the Hartman Castle Project.

• Q and A with Alonzo Hartman about his Stone House at Dos Rios Ranch
• Alonzo Hartman Castle near Gunnison, Colorado in Pictures
• Did Alonzo Hartman meet Alferd Packer at Los Pinos?
• The Story of How Sam Hartman Lost His Leg
• Western Colorado’s Original Cattleman

Colorado Dance Collective

Colorado Dance Collective describes its mission as.

“The mission of the Colorado Dance Collective is to create a spirit of collaboration and learning among our dancers, our colleagues in the fine arts, and the community at large by providing high quality classes, workshops, and performances at minimal cost to participants.”

Once again we have worked with Colorado Dance Collective in a few different capacities over the years.

• Colorado Dance Collective: Serving in the Art Community
• Interview with Applied Worldwide Director of Consulting Services
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative

How to Participate in Colorado Gives Day

You can donate to either of the above organizations–or any other Colorado-based non-profit for that matter–on Colorado Gives Day or as soon as “early giving” starts by going to ColoradoGives.org, selecting “donate,” and searching for your desired organization. We hope you’ll join us in bolstering Colorado’s non-profits for this year’s Colorado Gives Day!