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Donor acquisition

What You Need to Know from the 2018 Fundraising Effectiveness Project Report: The Bad News

“Everybody wants happiness, nobody wants pain; but there can’t be a rainbow without a little rain.” – Dolly Parton Yesterday, rainbow; today, rain… Donor retention is at best flat and generally down.  We are stuck at 45.5% donor retention for the second year in a row, down from 45.9% in 2015 and down from 46.7% […]

Learn More April 26, 2018

#MeToo Moment for Fundraisers

“I had a meeting with the chair of trustees. The meeting did not go well. As we were walking away from the meeting, he put his arm around me and squeezed me to him whilst saying “this would all be so much easier if you were just friendlier, Jane.” “He went to kiss me but […]

Learn More April 16, 2018

Doing Good While Doing Harm

This afternoon Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify before a joint session of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on the company’s recent Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal, in which personal data from some 50 million ,87million, maybe far far more million users ended up in the hands of an outside research […]

Learn More April 10, 2018

The Taxman Cometh, Part 3: A Way Forward

We’ve discussed the nonprofit tax debate over the past two days; now it’s time to talk implications.  There are a few roads that lead from here, all with their pluses and minuses. Ignore the new rules.  Do what you’ve been doing.  Maybe people will still think their gift helps them on their taxes, even if […]

Learn More March 16, 2018

The Taxman Cometh, Part 2: Maybe the 2017 Tax Bill Won’t Kill Us All

Since I ended my piece yesterday the doom and gloom note of the existential threat to all philanthropy, this is an odd, or at least paradoxical,  piece to write.  But there’s some counterbalancing evidence that we may not be peering into the abyss created by the new tax cut law. Hope #1 is that donors […]

Learn More March 15, 2018

Matching Gift Facts and Insights

There’s a growing body of empirical evidence on what makes for effective matching gift programs and what doesn’t. The following post –and the two that will follow this one–contain lots of research AND lots of valuable insight and good questions from Agitator readers.  So, if you’re interested in “mastering” this subject you’ll need to spend some […]

Learn More December 27, 2017

Are You Quarantining Your Major Donors?

“You’ll never get milk from a cow by sending it a letter.” That’s what my fundraising buddies told me 47 years ago when I left university major gift fundraising to help launch a new, direct mail-driven nonprofit called Common Cause. Sadly, too many development directors, major gift officers and CEOs still feel the same way. It’s […]

Learn More August 9, 2017

Dear Donor: You Suck

Sometimes the behavior of  folks who call themselves ‘fundraisers’ leaves me speechless. For this example, I’ll let Adrian Salmon‘s first-hand report speak for all the real fundraisers who care about donors. Wow!  What can I say that’s more succinct than this perfect reaction:No more needs be said. Roger    

Learn More July 12, 2017

A REALLY BIG Deal!

Frankly, we’re gobsmacked. Astounded, awestruck and absolutely thrilled by a massive undertaking by UK fundraisers and other leaders in the voluntary sector that should attract the serious attention and participation of all of us — on every continent. Today the Commission on the Donor Experience  released its overview of recommended changes to transform fundraising from […]

Learn More June 19, 2017

Making The Most Of Your Agitator Subscription

Many Agitator have been with us for our entire 10 year history. Many others are recent subscribers, and there are lots of folks in between. AND … some readers haven’t yet subscribed. You can remedy that egregious oversight right here. Regardless of the length of time you’ve been reading The Agitator we want to make sure […]

Learn More May 4, 2017

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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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