Fundraising philosophy/profession

The Quiet Frenzy of Union Organizing In Nonprofits

As we celebrate Labor Day here in the U.S. it’s appropriate to note the quiet frenzy of labor union organizing that has gripped parts of the nonprofit world. Recent moves by workers—particularly younger workers—to organize unions in some of the nation’s best-known companies –Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, Apple, Amazon, Chipotle—have pretty much put the lie to […]

Learn More September 5, 2022

Give Before Midnight. Save Democracy

Spoiler Alert: Chances are your $3 contribution rushed to Nancy Pelosi won’t save democracy. Not even if your donation is matched 10X and arrives by midnight as requested. These days –about every 11 minutes –my email inbox dings with news that another message from a Democratic candidate, the party itself, or some strange sounding political […]

Learn More August 5, 2022

Should Charities Be More Commercial?

How many charities have a fee for service revenue line? Hospitals, lots of cultural, place-based charities, the entire public broadcasting world…more than you might think. Does having a commercial revenue line create conflict with service delivery to beneficiaries? Or how about community building? It may be hard to be inclusive if you make more profit […]

Learn More July 15, 2022

The Plague of Churn – Donors and Staff

Money isn’t everything. Direct cash outlays to the poor can make them psychologically worse off if those outlays are temporary. In an experiment poor people were given $2000, $500 and $0 (control group). Both groups getting the money were objectively better off having spent it on bills, food, clothing for kids, etc. But, both were […]

Learn More July 11, 2022

The Roaring Late 1800s?

The roaring lion. The Roaring 1920s. But the Roaring late 1800s? Never heard of it. I don’t know the full source of the chart below or the accompanying list but I spot-checked a few and they were accurate according to the Google machine. I also don’t know if this list is exhaustive nor how “membership” […]

Learn More June 15, 2022

7 Fundraising Tips for Surviving the Apocalypse of 2022

From war to famine with a huge dose of inflation, threats to democracy and mass shootings thrown in. But you already know the litany of economic , humanitarian, and political disasters. No need for detailed background. Seems like we’re being hit with everything but locusts. The bottom-line question is: What’s the best course of action […]

Learn More June 13, 2022

Only a Week?

I was struck, again, at how behavioral science is simultaneously everywhere and nowhere in the nonprofit world. If you look at the program side of our sector you’ll see lots of examples of behavioral science at work. Hell, the UN has a behavioral science committee and a working group and a subcommittee and a steering […]

Learn More June 1, 2022

What Makes You Tick? What Makes Other Fundraisers Tick?

Back in 2013 the landmark study, Underdeveloped: A National Study of The Challenges Facing Nonprofit Fundraising, a joint project of CompassPoint and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund sounded the alarm about the development and fundraising profession. The study presciently warned that instability in the nonprofit sector would result in 50% of the development […]

Learn More May 30, 2022

Do The Opposite?

Some might say I’m contrarian. Some might be right. In keeping with what some people think, try this on… Charities need, More debt Less revenue diversification Less leanness (i.e., they need bigger reserves) Higher overhead This isn’t contrarian for the sake of it. Consider that the opposite of what I’m prescribing is (more or less) […]

Learn More May 20, 2022

Time for a Money Revolution in the Board Room

Conventional wisdom in nonprofit board rooms, as best as I can tell, is that “in the midst of these uncertain political and economic times we should pull back”…”husband our resources”…”not be aggressive at a time like this”….and a thousand other cautionary excuses. Frankly, whether in good times or bad that’s usually the case because the […]

Learn More May 18, 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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