Generosity, IQ, and Expanding Our Good
Oct 22, 2024
It’s harvest time in Minnesota. Across our state, the small CSAs, family-owned farms, and farmer’s markets all supply us with the bounty of our beautiful land. I am thankful for all that nourishes us, including you, our generous supporters of MPR. Yet like our farms and lands now suffering from returning drought, MPR also faces some challenging conditions affecting our strength as an organization.
Just last month the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits reported that more nonprofits are facing financial challenges than any time since 2009. We at MPR are not immune from these conditions.
Another report released by the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland earlier this year dives into the state of generosity in our society. It notes a decline in giving and volunteering. Interestingly, the report also examines what makes a difference in generosity. One of the authors, Nathan Dietz, reveals the relationship between social connection and giving and volunteering in the 2024 commissioned report. Dietz finds that “people who belong to, or participate in, one or more community groups or organizations in the previous year are significantly more likely to volunteer (14.3 percentage points) and also significantly more likely to donate money (by 8.6 percentage points).”
Adam Grant, the organizational psychologist and professor, says generosity is good for us and is a sign of intelligence. A new study confirms that people with high IQs have more unselfish values, give more to charity, and negotiate better deals for others. They prioritize the long-term collective good over short-term self-interest.
These reports underscore why I am optimistic about our work. When I spent a few days at the Minnesota State Fair in August, I got to speak to many friends and supporters of MPR. You offered me close-up insights into how you experience us, what you feel about us, and what matters to you. You told me that we strengthen your feelings of connection with others and our social bonds.
I was especially pleased to speak with many of you who decided to increase your membership donation or renew lapsed support. You shared the ways you value our services, and how impressed you are by the comprehensive nature of our work. You told me you count on us as a trusted source and reliable companion. I saw again the many ways people take pride in identifying with us and want others to know about their relationship with us, whether it is the news service, The Current, or YourClassical programming and events.
You know our political reporting is our bread and butter. The election is on my mind. Last month I shared with you the remarkable work being done by our political team to provide you with a robust voter guide. We will continue our extensive political coverage beyond November 5th. Tallying the results will take time and likely be contested. You can rely on us to deliver reliable and in-depth reporting through it all.
Even as we face challenges, we are committed to strengthening our programming. With your assistance and over the long term we plan to expand our work, feathering in new things that will enrich your experience. If we get it right, we'll bring some new people into the MPR fold. We’ll continue to offer you the chance to learn about everything from the Native News project or the Talking Sense initiative to more about Carbon Sound or the work we're doing to support emerging classical artists.
Thank you for your steadfast support. If you are able to increase your giving at this time, it will allow us to stabilize our current efforts while positioning us to deepen and expand our programming.
With the gratitude of harvest,
Duchesne Drew
President, Minnesota Public Radio
About Duchesne Drew
Duchesne Drew is Senior Vice President of American Public Media Group and President of Minnesota Public Radio. In this role, he leads the teams that produce MPR News, The Current, APM Reports and Marketplace. Additionally, he oversees YourClassical MPR as a part of Minnesota Public Radio.