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Breaking Out of the Status Quo

The $110 Billion Treasure Trove For Nonprofits

Take a football field.  Cover it to a depth of nine inches (actually, about 9.14 inches, if my math is correct) with $100 bills. That’s $110 billion.  That’s how much money is held in donor-advised funds (DAFs) in the United States right now.  These funds are earmarked to go to a charity like yours.  And the […]

Learn More May 30, 2019

The two common threads of mid, major, monthly, and planning giving donors

As we’ve discussed, major donors are not born.  They are neither spontaneously generated nor conceived, immaculately or otherwise. Rather, they come from your existing donor file and supporter rolls.  And they exist at the intersection of high commitment to your cause, high ability to give, and high desire to give with a large gift. Neither […]

Learn More May 3, 2019

Don’t Worry – Rich People Are Here To Save Us

…at least for now. A couple weeks ago, Roger talked about Blackbaud’s report on 2018 giving that found a 1.5% increase in giving in 2018.  He mentioned that we wouldn’t know more details until Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) released their data.  Well, guess what just happened!  It’s up here. A word of warning: even though […]

Learn More March 6, 2019

Year-end Results: More Answers to “What Happened?”

Back in January, Roger cited M+R’s “What the Heck Just Happened?” post about subpar year-end results.  Now, M+R is back with answers in a preview of their always helpful benchmarks.  The full post is up here and is well worth a read.  Some answers to our burning questions: Did the tax law change mess things […]

Learn More March 4, 2019

Popular Posts in 2018: Direct Mail Not Yet Dead

Editor’s Note:  Between Christmas and January 7th The Agitator Global HQ is undergoing some renovation and renewal.  The bowling alley is being resurfaced which, in turn, produces a tornado of dust requiring a thorough cleaning of the library collection not to mention the work space of our poet-in-residence. Consequently, we’ve decided to use this period of renovation and renewal to repeat 5 of our most popular posts of 2018. If you’ve already etched these gems in your mind we hope you’ll share them with colleagues. And, as importantly, we urge you to send along any suggestions for […]

Learn More December 26, 2018

Sorry Santa, We’re Closed!

I never fail to marvel at the bizarre behavior of many nonprofits when it comes to year-end giving. Let me explain. For almost every charity the period between Christmas and New Year’s is a heavy period for giving. For some groups as much as 25% of their annual revenue arrives in those final weeks. Many donors—particularly […]

Learn More December 17, 2018

Bumper Crop for #GivingTuesday. Crop. Picture of the Larger Harvest Mixed.

First, a quick summary of 2018 #GivingTuesday results (as of 11/29/18):   Biggest #GivingTuesday ever raised $380 million in the U.S. 6 million donations were made with mean gift size of $105.55 Facebook users, some using livestream Facebook video gaming, raised over $125 million; that’s $45 million more than last year. Blackbaud reported that its systems […]

Learn More November 30, 2018

Year End: Ideal Asking Amounts

Do you really know the best “ask amount” for each donor? Many fundraisers really don’t know.  They guess, or resort to traditional, tribal wisdom ask strings like 1X Highest Previous Gift (HPC), 1.5 X HPC,  2 X HPC and Other $_______ The result?  They’re often leaving massive amounts of money on the table. The ask […]

Learn More August 30, 2018

Are You Missing the Golden Middle?

In 1987 I launched a series of highly successful mid-level giving programs and for years wondered why others weren’t doing the same.  So, when Tom and I started The Agitator we began ranting on the subject, urging folks to get on board. For example, hereand  here. And so did others like Mark Phillips of BlueFrog with […]

Learn More June 4, 2018

What You Need to Know from the 2018 Fundraising Effectiveness Project: Implications

The 2018 FEP report has both silver lining and cloud. Now what?  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments; here are a few of mine. We must rebuild our base.  Increasing retention post-first gift is a major part of this and we should pat ourselves on the back (not too hard) for this. […]

Learn More April 27, 2018

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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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