# Newly-rich man wants to give money to his church. Better one big gift, or repeated smaller ones?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 3, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833 "2015-09-03T18:32:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/21 "2015-09-04T14:56:32Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> If I win the Powerball tomorrow (unlikely, as I don’t buy lottery tickets 😃 )
To be fair, buying a ticket increases your odds only slightly. You might still have a shot!
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### Author:  [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/22 "2015-09-04T17:42:17Z")
So we don’t have any accountants or tax lawyers here? My vague impression is that there are tax consequences as to how donations are structured.
I think he should simply ask Anne and the other people who helped him where he should donate his money–perhaps missions work or a local women’s abuse center or scholarships…
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### Author:  [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/23 "2015-09-04T18:24:10Z")
In any case, if you have just become very reach, you must be very careful with your money. The chances of losing everything are very very high.
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### Author:  [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/24 "2015-09-04T18:25:23Z")
> [@Nava](#):
>
> I would combine both: create a fund. That’s a big gift which becomes many little gifts and which survives its creator.
A good idea. Also you should
1. Have a good backup for yourself.
2. Make them dependent on you.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/25 "2015-09-04T20:08:51Z")
> [@CCitizen](#):
>
> A good idea. Also you should
>
> 1. Have a good backup for yourself.
>
> 2. Make them dependent on you.
You’ve said at least twice that you’d want to make the church dependent on you. Why, exactly?
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### Author:  [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/26 "2015-09-04T20:25:39Z")
[fighting the hypothetical] Why not just donate the jillion dollars directly to Heifer International, or similar charities? It seems like the end goal of this church is to help as many people as possible; that’s what saved Mark. I’d take that lesson and figure out what would help the largest amount of people (probably mosquito nets for malaria-stricken areas or some such). [/fighting the hypothetical]
If the choice is between one large gift or several smaller ones, I don’t think it really matters. If Anne’s fears about one large donation are correct, smaller ones spread out over time will have the same effect- people will know their work isn’t as needed. (This is assuming all donations have to be publicly announced).
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### Author:  [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/27 "2015-09-04T20:51:08Z")
> [@Octarine](#):
>
> If the choice is between one large gift or several smaller ones, I don’t think it really matters. If Anne’s fears about one large donation are correct, smaller ones spread out over time will have the same effect- people will know their work isn’t as needed. (This is assuming all donations have to be publicly announced).
I don’t think that’s necessarily true.
While people slack off if things are too easy or too well-funded, they’re also frustrated if they give everything they have and see the program still under-funded and unable to function properly.
If smaller gifts over time are small enough to require the work/contributions of the little people, but still big enough to make the little people feel like they’re part of something successful, then you’ll have hit a psychological sweet spot.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/28 "2015-09-04T21:09:32Z")
> [@Octarine](#):
>
> [fighting the hypothetical] Why not just donate the jillion dollars directly to Heifer International, or similar charities? It seems like the end goal of this church is to help as many people as possible; that’s what saved Mark. I’d take that lesson and figure out what would help the largest amount of people (probably mosquito nets for malaria-stricken areas or some such). [/fighting the hypothetical]
>
> If the choice is between one large gift or several smaller ones, I don’t think it really matters. If Anne’s fears about one large donation are correct, smaller ones spread out over time will have the same effect- people will know their work isn’t as needed. (This is assuming all donations have to be publicly announced).
Not only are you fighting the hypothetical, you didn’t read the OP for comprehension.
Nowhere does the OP suggest that Mark is motivated by altruism. He’s motivated by GRATITUDE. He wants to repay Anne and the Many Waters congregation for helping him. Saying he should donate directly to Heifer International is like suggesting Bruce Wayne should go dig wells in a drought-stricken region of Africa.
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### Author:  [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/29 "2015-09-04T21:28:14Z")
> [@Gothic](#):
>
> It would be better to have one big gift. You never know if the donor will be alive next year and what claims the estate may have upon it. Does the gift have to be public knowledge? It seems easy to me to just buy bonds with the gift and use the interest to supplement existing programs.
If he has a will, this will be irrelevant.
I go with multiple smaller gifts, although if they have big needs now, he should take care of them.
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### Author:  [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)
#### Post date: [September 4, 2015, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newly-rich-man-wants-to-give-money-to-his-church-better-one-big-gift-or-repeated-smaller-ones/729833/30 "2015-09-04T22:50:01Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> You’ve said at least twice that you’d want to make the church dependent on you. Why, exactly?
I am Jewish so I would not give to a church.
But if I gave to anyone, I would make sure they appreciate me. If they are not dependent they will not.
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