Behavioral Science Posts

A Low Risk, High Reward Approach to Fundraising

In recent years we’ve tried to show how breakthroughs in research, particularly in behavioral science enable knowledgeable fundraisers to reap some mighty impressive rewards that come from a more in-depth understanding of “why” a particular donor gives (identity), why different messages are required for different donors (personality/psychological profiles) and how these elements are used in […]

Learn More January 10, 2022

Monkey Business

Headline: Breakthrough study finds subjects do more tasks if they enjoy it and the quality of the work product differs greatly across subjects. And in other news, water is in fact, wet. The details of the study are a bit more interesting, if still obvious. The scientists discovered major individual differences in preferences – reflecting […]

Learn More November 24, 2021

Lazy Labels

We write about Identity but how do we best write to an Identity? Does invoking the label help show we know who they are? For example, “as a dog lover…” What about those health charities out there whose entire approach to ‘tailoring’ of appeals to supporters they know have the disease is tweaking the lead-in […]

Learn More November 17, 2021

Donor Geography: West Coast is From Venus, Southeast is From Mars

We’ve written extensively about the Big Five of Personality psychology and how to measure Personality and use it to tailor messaging to get beyond the unsatisfying world of one-size-fits-all. ( See here, here and here.) Importance of Personality Why Personality? It predicts health, morbidity, occupation, entrepreneurship rates, innovation, political values, regional stereotypes, income inequality and […]

Learn More November 12, 2021

Do You Have a Big Number Problem?

Most humans have a big number problem. You probably felt it yourself as pundits and politicians droned drone on and on about the pros and cons of the multi-trillion-dollar Infrastructure and Build Back Better legislation. Do most folks really understand what $1 trillion or $1.2 trillion or $3 or $6 trillion really means in terms […]

Learn More November 10, 2021

Youngkin Dialed up Social Norms

There are a lot of political campaigns every year. And there are a lot of political scientists working in academia desperate for real-world experiments to publish results so they can stay in academia. These two facts result in an enormous amount of theory-led, testing and experimenting in politics. I’ve often wondered how much of this […]

Learn More November 8, 2021

Jiu-Jitsu Fundraising

An enemy is crystallizing. It’s motivating. “Rally the mostly satisfied, even-keeled moderates to storm the bastille.”, said nobody ever. Does your organization have an enemy? The rich, the establishment, the pro-this or con-that, the anti-whatever you stand for? Or maybe there’s just a big, prevailing message that has lots of air time, exposure or […]

Learn More November 5, 2021

Gen Z to Save the Day

“There is a revolution under way . . . It is now spreading with amazing rapidity, and already our laws, institutions, and social structure are changing in consequence. Its ultimate creation could be a higher reason, a more human community, and a new and liberated individual. This is the revolution of the new generation.” This was written 51 […]

Learn More October 18, 2021

A Win for Old School Economics

Economics has been called the dismal science for decades. The somewhat newer slight (still decades old) led to the birth of Behavioral Economics whose guardians believe stodgy, old, Econ 101 principles of supply and demand and rational actors making rational cost/benefit choices fails to explain reality. Some of that’s true though the BE truthers out […]

Learn More October 11, 2021

Taxonomy of Donor Messaging

If you take nothing else from this post, take this: there is an awful lot that is known about your donors. Too often we think we know very little about our donors. Consequently, we believe tailoring messages to who they are is seemingly impossible. Sadly, this means everyone gets the same thing. Taxonomy is […]

Learn More October 4, 2021

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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