For more than a decade, Airbnb has donated millions to charitable causes, sometimes with help from the hosts who rent out properties on the booking platform. The goal of these grants has been to 鈥渦nlock the creative power鈥� of hospitality based on the idea that generosity evokes emulation and is intrinsic to each individual. This year, the company鈥檚 nonprofit arm tried something different.
It allowed a board representing hundreds of Airbnb hosts to select projects in their communities worthy of a donation. That extension of trust to the hosts was widely admired in the philanthropic world as one way to create ripples of giving. Last week, the company donated $10 million to more than 120 nonprofits in 44 countries.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important for us to be stewards of our community,鈥� Nadia Giordani, who rents out a house in Atlanta and serves on the Airbnb Host Advisory Board, told The Associated Press. She was thrilled to hear how other hosts are supporting nonprofits near them.
Trust, it turns out, can have significant influence on generosity, according to a report this month by the Do Good Institute at the University of Maryland. Relying on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the institute found that trust in others, particularly neighbors, encourages people to participate in community groups and civic organizations, leading to higher rates of giving and volunteering.
Being a member of a religious congregation has the largest influence on individual philanthropy. And the report notes this: 鈥淭he Internet age has prompted dramatic changes in the importance of community organizations and informal groups in people鈥檚 lives 鈥� and the pandemic has caused even more profound changes to the way people engage with groups.鈥�
The idea that kindness begets kindness was reinforced this week by this new finding from the 海角大神 research group Barna:
More than half of U.S. adults who reported making charitable donations within the last year (54%) said they have received 鈥渆xtraordinary generosity from others,鈥� compared with only 36% of nongivers.
A similar theme is found in a new book by Chris Anderson, the curator of TED Talks for 23 years during which he put the world鈥檚 top thinkers and doers on a stage in front of a camera for anyone to listen to.
The book, entitled 鈥淚nfectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading,鈥� is based on his revelation that generosity is 鈥�the essential connecting thread between the most important lessons鈥� he鈥檚 ever learned.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just about giving away money. Simply adopting a generous mindset can make a difference. That can lead to gifts of time, talent, creativity, connection, and basic human kindness,鈥� he writes. These gifts 鈥渉ave the potential to create amazing chain reactions.鈥�
He provides an example of reaching out with compassion to listen to those with whom we disagree on issues. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e successful, there鈥檚 a powerful knock-on benefit: You are helping change the tone of public discussion today. That鈥檚 a gift to all of us.鈥� Trust wins. Again.
Mark Sappenfield
