Abstract

If you're not afraid to ask for money, says nonprofit fundraising guru Kim Klein, then you weren't born in this country or you're a child. The taboo against talking about money, much less asking for it, has survived even as all other taboos have fallen. But another strong cultural norm in this country is that of giving money. Because our government funds so few human needs, individuals are asked over and over again to give. Because there is no officially state-supported religion, religious traditions instill the habit of giving, and religious organizations provide a wide range of social and educational services. Americans are asked to dig deep, and despite the recession, they are still giving, albeit in smaller amounts.

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