Soapbox Engage Blog

If you’ve worked in the nonprofit sector for any length of time, you’ve probably found yourself needing a bit of inspiration from time to time. Perhaps you need an occasional reminder of why you give so sacrificially to make the world a better place. Or maybe you’re writing an appeal letter, and you need a quote to tie things together. We’ve all been there!

From successful entrepreneurs and CEOs to athletes and teachers, quotes and phrases motivate and empower us toward success. Inspirational quotes appeal to our thoughts and emotions and can shift our thought patterns toward a more hopeful, positive outlook. They can also communicate valuable truths in a “portable” way that people can easily remember.

We gathered some powerful quotes about community, generosity, giving, and service to help you stay inspired and motivated as you continue the hard work of making the world a better place.

Table of Contents

• Quotes about giving and community for nonprofits
• Quotes about generosity for nonprofits
• Quotes about serving for nonprofits

Quotes About Giving and Community for Nonprofits

Generosity is good for the heart--and not just in a metaphorical way. Studies show that practicing generosity can help reduce stress, enhance your sense of purpose, naturally fight depression, and even increase your expected lifespan! Generosity also promotes overall social connection and community wellbeing. It can improve relationships as we connect ourselves to others’ stories and experiences.

These are some of our favorite quotes about giving and community to help development professionals stay positive and inspired while inviting others to be generous with their time, talents, and money.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” - Winston Churchill

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” - Dalai Lama

“I don’t think you ever stop giving. I really don’t. I think it’s an ongoing process. And it’s not just about being able to write a check. It’s being able to touch somebody’s life.” - Oprah Winfrey

“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” - Maya Angelou

“Giving does not only precede receiving; it is the reason for it. It is in giving that we receive.” - Israelmore Ayivor

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” - Anne Frank

“Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

“Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.” - John D. Rockefeller Jr.

“True giving from the heart is an expression of love.” - Cara Stein

“Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting.” - Brain Tracy

“Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.” - Kathy Calvin

Quotes About Generosity for Nonprofits

From volunteers and financial donors to tireless employees, nonprofits bring out the generosity in so many people. Generosity is also a core value in healthy communities of any size. Here are some of our favorite quotes about generosity to help you stay inspired and motivate your community.

“We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.” - Mother Teresa

“Wealth isn’t always measured in dollar signs. We each have time, talent, and creativity, all of which can be powerful forces for positive change. Share your blessings in whatever form they come and to whatever level you have been blessed.” - Jon M. Huntsman

“We must give more in order to get more. It is the generous giving of ourselves that produces the generous harvest.” - Orison Swett Marden

“It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.” - Albert Einstein

“The best thing to do with the best things in life is to give them away.” - Dorothy Day

“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.” - Booker T. Washington

“Everyone can experience the joy and blessing of generosity; because everyone has something to give.” - Jan Grace

“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” - Amy Carmichael

“Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others.” - Barbara Bush

Quotes About Serving for Nonprofits

Service to others is one of the most generous acts. Here are some uplifting quotes to inspire you to keep going when things feel a little overwhelming, or to help you keep volunteers motivated.

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” - John Holmes

“The greatest gift you ever give is your honest self.” - Fred Rogers

“The future depends on what we do in the present.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” - Abraham Lincoln

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston S. Churchill

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” - Pablo Picasso

“Love cannot remain by itself--it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action and that action is service.” - Mother Teresa

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” - President Barack Obama

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” - Charles Dickens

“Life’s persistent and most urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. Serve, and thou shall be served.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Serving people means growing their capacity and implies that everyone can contribute.” - Juana Bordas

“The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.” - John Ruskin

We hope these quotes empower, equip, and re-energize you and your team throughout the year.

Here are three more resources to help boost your fundraising efforts.

• Surefire Ways To Improve Your Nonprofit Storytelling: While storytelling does require time and energy, it is undoubtedly a worthwhile investment for any organization, especially those that have volunteers, donors, and other supporters. This blog will help you develop your storytelling skills and use them to boost your fundraising.
• Here’s What To Consider When Creating Your Nonprofit’s Brand: Many successful nonprofits have taken the time to create a recognizable brand. However, branding encompasses a lot more than just logos. Effective nonprofit branding is how you tell the world about your story and your mission, primarily through visuals and writing. Branding is a powerful tool that can bring your nonprofit to the next level, but you want to do it right. This blog helps you consider five essential factors when creating your brand.
• Boost Volunteer Recruitment and Retention for Your Nonprofit: Most nonprofits lean heavily on volunteers to accomplish all kinds of tasks and carry out their mission. But how do you find these stellar volunteers who eagerly give their time and talents? There are loads of volunteer recruitment strategies and methods out there. This blog will help you fill your directory with high-quality volunteers that match your unique needs.