If you’re only willing to bid $19 to buy a $20 bill at this auction, you’re not doing charity, you’re bargain hunting. There’s nothing wrong with bargain hunting, it’s fun, but it’s not philanthropy. I think bargain hunting for a good cause is just fine, but wouldn’t it be great if the event could raise far more money and change the way people view the organization?

This is not the easy path. It is much easier to sell your public on bargains than it is to sell them on generosity. The good news is that once you get over the hump, it scales. Bargains scale downward… better bargains are lower-priced bargains, which means you scale to zero. Philanthropy scales upward… better overpaying is more overpaying. A public auction is always a public competition. The challenge is to create social approval for what would otherwise be bad auction skills! Enlist a few stooges in the audience in advance, then start by auctioning off that $20 bill. When it goes for $45 and the winner gets an ovation, you’ve set a tone.

The goal of a non-profit seeking money needs to be to create an environment in which the community congratulates itself on overpaying.

That’s a very tall order. I’m not entirely sure I dig the subterfuge Seth encourages (I’m sure tongue’s at least lightly placed in cheek on that one), but the task of creating that kind of culture is difficult with or without it.

I’ll be playing twice for a local non-profit this week.

The Wengerd|VanVoorst Duo will be playing at the Volvo Mayfaire by the Lake kickoff party tonight in front of the Lakeland Library.

and the Matthew Wengerd Trio will be playing tomorrow at 11:00 am.

It’s not much, but it’s my kind of philanthropy. I get to help and be noticed and, let’s face it, without that combination, most forms of philanthropy would not exist.

Mayfaire is coming! Produced by the Polk Museum of Art, Mayfaire is a gathering of local, regional and national artists and craftspeople to share their wares. Like last year, I’ll be playing Mayfaire – one of my favorite gigs and it’s just blocks from my apartment!

Friday 9 May, I’ll be playing with tenor saxophonist Rich Van Voorst for the kickoff party (I’m pretty certain this is not a public event) and will be playing with a not-yet-finalized group Saturday 10 May at 11 am. That’s right.

The Matthew Wengerd Group

Live at Mayfaire

Saturday 10 May 2008 at 11:00 am

Be there or be square.