Chris Gabriel of WISEgenerosity is a guest author and contributor to our Outside Perspectives Series.
We recently connected with Chris Gabriel, author and creator of WISEgenerosity, to share his unique insights in a multi-part series. As a donor, nonprofit board member, consultant, and experienced wealth manager at one of the nation’s leading investment firms, Chris created the WISEgenerosity framework to unlock the potential of giving for individuals and organizations.
In every epic story, there’s a central character who draws us in and entices us to join the journey. They sense a powerful purpose, face challenges, overcome obstacles, and take steps toward their own transformation and the transformation of the world around them.
In charity and philanthropy, that person (or family) is the donor who wants their giving to reflect what matters most to them. But nonprofit development officers and professional advisors serve supporting roles on the generosity journey and are a central part of the story too.
Typical fundraising can sometimes treat donors as bystanders or bank accounts, rather than as unique figures on meaningful journeys. A donor shouldn’t be reduced to a transaction – someone to “close” – but rather nurtured as a relationship – someone to truly understand. Unintentionally, institutions may put themselves at the center of the process and make the donor a means to their own ends or – even worse – a faceless entry on an internal metric to be met.
We believe in an approach that is different—one that reframes how we think about giving, advising, and collaborating. It begins by placing the donor/client at the center of their own narrative and recognizing that the fundraiser or advisor’s highest role is to serve as a powerful guide.
What the Donor Wants
Every donor’s story begins with a longing. Most aren’t motivated to give by tax breaks or seats at gala tables, but by something far deeper:
- A sense of purpose
- Lasting connections across generations
- A meaningful community legacy
- Giving that reflects their personal passions and values
These desires may be difficult for donors to convey on their own, but they are real. I’ve engaged with countless individuals and couples who feel a calling to do more, to live generously, to be part of something lasting and bigger than themselves. This is their “call to significance,” and the guide’s role is to show them the way.
What Blocks the Path?
Donors may encounter resistance along their generosity journey. The path to purposeful giving often is blocked by:
- Uncertainty about where to start or how much to give
- Fear of getting it wrong or being taken advantage of
- Guilt-based appeals that drain rather than inspire
- Lack of clarity about how giving fits into their broader life and legacy
- Disconnects among family members about what matters most
These barriers stall giving or turn it into something burdensome. Instead of joy, donors feel pressure. Instead of purpose, they feel disconnected and lost in proposals and pitches.
The Role of the Guide
This is where the professional advisor or nonprofit development officer steps in as an essential guide. Think Virgil to Dante. Yoda to Luke. Clarence to George Bailey. Sacagawea to Lewis and Clark.
Guides don’t dictate the path, but they help to unveil it. They ask the right questions. They listen more than they speak. They help the donor/client rediscover their very personal “why.” They equip them for the journey. And from there, everything changes.
This shift in posture from “expert” to “guide” is transformational, and not just for the donor, but for everyone involved. When the guide stops trying to lead with answers and solutions, they instead create space for discovery. Then, generosity flows more freely and authentically.
Of course, guides play key roles as part of the donor’s story. The quest is not fulfilled unless the guide is there to lead through the inevitable challenges and adventures.
A Shared Map for the Journey
We believe in equipping both the donor and the guide to walk the giving journey together with clarity and confidence. We also believe in the power of providing the resources needed to recognize the donor’s purpose, to support them in reflecting on an optimal giving plan, to respond to their opportunities with an effective process, and ultimately to benefit from the purposeful, practical results.
When donors are the focus of their giving story, everything changes:
- Nonprofits experience greater alignment and larger, longer-term support
- Advisors build deeper, more trusted relationships
- Families grow stronger through shared purpose
- Communities receive more meaningful investment
- Most importantly, donors experience the joy and impact they were searching for all along
The Compass: WISEgenerosity and Personal Giving Identity
The donor/client is the focus of the story. Professional advisors and nonprofits are guides. And the map is their shared terrain: a common interest in positive change aligned with mutual vision and values. WISEgenerosity believes in providing a compass or what we call the donor’s Personal Giving Identity (PGI).
Personal Giving Identity is the gateway into WISEgenerosity. Think Myers-Briggs for giving – a tool to help unlock individual traits and tendencies in support of more meaningful and effective outcomes. The resulting profile includes four key components:
- WISEgenerosity Personality Type
- Expression of Giving
- Driver of Giving
- Motivation for Giving
Identity is the key to any quest. We must know who we are before we know where we should go and how we should get there. PGI delivers awareness of the donors’/clients’ underlying priorities and preferences and then unlocks their potential for success.
Next Steps in the Quest
Our philosophy is not a script or a formula but an invitation to a journey. A successful giving quest leads to a generous life that is W.I.S.E.: Well-grounded, Inspired, Satisfying, and Effective. It then produces happiness, enlightenment, and fulfillment for everyone involved – donors, advisors and nonprofits.
You can learn more at wisegenerosity.com.
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About the Author
Chris Gabriel is a financial advisor at a major wealth management firm and the author of WISEgenerosity: A Guide to Purposeful and Productive Living and Giving. His practice serves individuals and families who prioritize giving and, on the other side of the generosity process, nonprofit organizations who want to be good stewards of their resources and to more meaningfully and effectively connect with their donors.
What began as a calling to align his spiritual, personal, and professional lives grew into a framework for helping others to give with clarity, confidence, and joy. Chris’s work invites donors, advisors, and nonprofits to see generosity as an essential virtue and as a path to personal, relational, and social transformation. More information is available at https://wisegenerosity.com.
