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Board Meeting Swipe File

What Does Your CEO Need To Know?

Roger’s keen to deliver a message to nonprofit CEOs (and Boards). More than a ‘message’ actually. He basically wants to ‘water board’ them until they confess to total ignorance of and disregard of fundraising. Then, once they confess, put them on the path to redemption via education. So it seems to me one of the first […]

Learn More August 11, 2016

World’s Worst CEO And Board Member

Yesterday I turned 75. A great age for a tree. After mowing the lawn, weeding the garden,  and handling the congratulatory phone calls from my ungrateful heirs I did give a tiny bit of thought to the past. And a lot of thought to the future. My principal Diamond Jubilee Insight is this: Our sector […]

Learn More August 10, 2016

Celebrate!

We’d like to think that all the generations of women and men who worked, volunteered, sacrificed and, yes, donated through all the decades to create last night’s landmark moment in American history are joyously celebrating wherever they are. We sure are! We’ll let the pundits and commentators deal with what Hillary Clinton’s nomination means in […]

Learn More July 29, 2016

Big Can Be Beautiful Too

I can’t let Roger’s paean yesterday to pursuing one’s fundraising career in small nonprofits stand with no countervailing comment. I appreciate all the reasons why small is beautiful … although many times those reasons are given by folks who have no choice but to make the best of ‘small’ and find virtue in it. Yes, […]

Learn More July 28, 2016

Your Fundraising Career Choice

If you had it to do all over again, what size organization would you choose to work in for your career? That was the fundamental question Tony Martignetti, host of Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio asked me in an interview we did for The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s ‘Fundraising Fundamentals’. You can listen to the full interview below. In […]

Learn More July 27, 2016

Only Two Donor Responses: Passion Or Indifference

I suspect that most of The Agitator’s UK readers read the fundraising wisdom of Ken Burnett on a regular basis, and have already caught up with his latest gem, Adventures in emotional space. This post is for all other Agitator readers out in the colonies. We can all use a reminder of the primacy of […]

Learn More July 26, 2016

The Boss Wants To See You!

Just when you were getting ready to really settle into your summer slumber, the call came … “The boss wants to see you … just a quick review of what’s cookin’” Panic! The boss hasn’t asked for you since that tragic meeting last November when you had to admit that your take on Giving Tuesday was less than the […]

Learn More July 19, 2016

Dancing With Donors

I just read a delightful musing about giving, written on 101 Fundraising by The Whiny Donor. It’s titled How Far Do I want To Go With You? and boy did it strike a chord with me. I urge you to read the whole piece … I’m sure your head will be nodding in agreement. But […]

Learn More July 15, 2016

Beware of Fundraising Foreplay

Too many fundraisers engage in too much foreplay. Just think about the hours and hours spent on preparing spreadsheets, ‘strategic plans’, Power Points and draft budgets interspersed with and followed by meetings, meetings, meetings —  all with good intentions but resulting in little of no action and consequently little or no growth. One trait that […]

Learn More July 12, 2016

Why Not Start Over?

Roger is now about five posts into his ‘Starting Over’ series … advice on taking an entirely fresh look at what it will take going forward to succeed with nonprofit fundraising. [Note: I actually made a spelling mistake in the last word of the previous sentence … originally writing ‘fundraiding’! Now is that Freudian or […]

Learn More July 11, 2016

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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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    The Agitator Tool Box

    Ideas, applications, tools, processes, and case studies of break-through solutions in fundraising, including:



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