Advocacy Fundraising

Does Biden/Trump Winning 2024 Lower Charitable Giving?

The answer is an emphatic yes and no. The classic case of crowding out is government spending on social ills that lowers the need for individuals to give. Empirical evidence for this effect has been mixed. But, what if the effect is more complicated than that and what if it has nothing to do with […]

Learn More September 12, 2022

Petitions With Purpose

I’m sure everyone in the advocacy world wonders just how well the flood of digital petitions we dump on Congress by the millions is really working. Whether they’re simply tallied–“Yea” in this spreadsheet column, “Nay” in the other before a staff member hits delete or the autoresponder thanks the voter and promises to take their […]

Learn More August 11, 2022

If No One Came to Work Could the Movement Run Itself?

This tongue-in-cheek headline raises the question of just how effective progressive advocacy and social change organizations can be when a good part of their staff energy is focused on battling each other rather than advancing the group’s mission at this critical moment in history. This is particularly true when it comes to reproductive rights organizations […]

Learn More July 22, 2022

Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore

July 4th, the day to celebrate and remember what America’s all about. On this fraught-filled, future-fearing July 4th I sure as hell hope we’re all taking the remembering seriously. Because Agitator’s mission focuses on direct response fundraising, I’ll forego the usual patriotic platitudes. Instead for Independence Day 2022 I’m invoking the memory and wisdom of […]

Learn More July 4, 2022

The Non-Political Twitterverse

Much ink has been spilled decrying social media rabbit holes and political echo chambers that threaten our democracy by increasing hyper-partisanship and extremism. What if that’s fake news? It’s true there are hyper-partisan people on Twitter. It’s also true many of these hyper-partisans are opinion influencers with big followings. The problem with the echo-chamber thesis […]

Learn More June 8, 2022

Digital Donor Abuse

With another batch of primary elections behind us and more still ahead…with the future of Roe v. Wade and reproductive rights hanging in the balance…with heartbreaking scourge of mass shootings at schools and shopping centers…there’s barely time to ponder the ultimate fate of life as we know it either by pandemic, famine, flood, locusts, or […]

Learn More May 25, 2022

Hidden Threats to Democracy

A healthy democracy, as I pointed out in my last post, is a precondition for moving forward on most of the issues and causes we fundraisers serve. When democracy breaks, the systems, and institutions we strive to fix or improve become far harder or even impossible to repair or advance. The daily flood of human […]

Learn More April 15, 2022

Fundraising in Inflation and Under Threat of Nuclear War. 7 Survival Tips for 2022

Here we go again. The phone’s ringing, the email inbox dinging as colleagues attempt to figure out what to do in a world that more than ever seems to be falling apart. Over Agitator’s 15 years our readers have witnessed a litany of financial meltdowns (2008), pandemic disasters (2020) and now in 2022 inflation coupled […]

Learn More March 14, 2022

The Importance of Building Trust in a Cynical World

Can declining trust in institutions be partially at fault for the overall decline in personal giving? That’s a critical question international fundraiser Richard Pordes posed in commenting on our post reprinting Tom Ahern’s Is Mass Fundraising Extinct? In Richard’s words: “But aren’t there larger societal trends that have caused the decline in numbers of households […]

Learn More February 11, 2022

Does Your Lead Generation Attract the Best Donors?

Given the tsunami of petitions, surveys and other devices flooding both my postal and digital mailboxes it’s clear that more and more organizations are turning to lead generation as the first step in their donor acquisition programs. The question, of course, is just how well do these leads convert to good donors? And what steps […]

Learn More January 14, 2022

Ask A Behavioral Scientist

Behavioral Science Q & A

Q: As a designer who works with non-profits on fundraising strategy, I see the language like the following: “Our supporters help empower every girl, ensuring she has the resources she needs.” I do not think the word “help” is useful–I think “Our supporters empower every girl, ensuring she has the resources she needs. ” is much more engaging. Thoughts?

Whether “help” is more engaging or not really depends on the framing and context. The word help can sometimes weaken the perceived agency of the supporter, making their role feel secondary rather than central (your point). On the other hand, help can also signal collaboration rather than implying full ownership of the outcome, which might […]

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Q: We started offering a donor cover option last april 1. The data to date suggests this may be dampening giving.eg. those who say yes to donor cover have a lower average gift (based on analysis of 6000+ gifts). I’m wondering if those who give lower gifts feel more guilt and therefore say yes to donor cover or if the presence of donor cover is making people adjust (lower) their gift size to accommodate the extra 3%. Would love any insights you have.

Great question! Here’s how behavioral science can help unpack what might be happening: Pain of Paying: Even a small extra charge can make giving feel more transactional than emotional, potentially reducing generosity. Fairness Concerns: Some donors might perceive donor cover as a surcharge rather than a contribution to the cause. If they feel the charity […]

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Q: When writing an appeal, I waffle back and forth between writing “Your gift CAN…” or “Your gift WILL…” Any studies of which of these two words is best for an appeal?

The choice between “Your gift CAN…” and “Your gift WILL…” taps into the psychological framing of certainty vs. possibility. Currently, there is no academic research directly comparing these two framings in charitable appeals. However, I suspect no framing is universally better—the outcome likely depends on your target audience and the campaign’s goal. Here are some thoughts: Certainty Framing – […]

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Q: Do you have any insight on whether integrating an individual giving appeal with other comms from the charity in both appearance and messaging can uplift results? Or does the actual appeal become ‘lost’ for lack of stand-out?

Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]

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Q: Is there any research on response rate impact in direct mail when referring to a sustainer gift as ongoing or recurring (catching all frequencies) v. monthly or annual?

I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]

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Q: A major conservation nonprofit sends me lots of mail, many of which have on the envelope “time to renew” or “2nd notice.” I find this practice deceptive, especially as I haven’t given to said organization since 1997. It must be effective or they wouldn’t do it. But is it ethical?

Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]

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