• Home
  • Blog Posts
  • Behavioral Science
  • On Demand Webinars
  • Toolbox
  • Archives

Breaking Out of the Status Quo

Starbucks-With-A-Clipboard

The line at Starbucks stretched though the store and out onto the sidewalk.  Impatient and agitated Customers grumbled loudly.  I patiently waited my turn in line, determined to see the cause of this holdup. Finally, I placed my order and handed the cashier my credit card.  She shook her head and instead handed me a […]

Learn More November 1, 2019

Hurricane Dorian and the Season Ahead

From Hurricane Katrina in 2005 to this year’s Hurricane Dorian The Agitator follows fundraising fallout from major storms and natural disasters. As I write this early in the morning of the U.S. Labor Day the path of Dorian is still uncertain.  What is for sure is that this is a big (huge) storm and holds the […]

Learn More September 2, 2019

Takeaways From the 2019 M+R Benchmarks Study

Yesterday, on the perfect date, M+R published its 2019 online benchmarking data; it’s well worth a read.  Some of the data that jumped out at us: Online giving was close to flat, only up 1%.  While this fits with the general “where am I going and why am I in this handbasket?” concerns about overall […]

Learn More April 26, 2019

Online Giving At the Big Kids Table

An occupational hazard of blogging is the envy that arises from reading something you wish you’d written. That’s how I felt about Steve MacLaughlin’s The End of the Beginning for Online Giving.  In fact, if you read only one blog post today, 1) put this one down, 2) pick that one up, 3) come back […]

Learn More March 8, 2019

Agitator Readers Call Bullshit: #2

The responses to yesterday’s post and the Confidential Agitator Survey were both thoughtful and concerning. [If you haven’t already completed the survey, I hope you will take 3 minutes and do so today. Just click here.] Clearly, many readers responding to the survey have experienced significant frustration, confusion and substantial lost income in their efforts to […]

Learn More February 27, 2019

Mid-Term Palette Cleanser

The mid-term elections in the U.S. can’t come—and go– soon enough as far as I’m concerned. I’m sick and tired of the incessant parade of tv spots warning that unless I vote Republican the liberal mob, reinforced by a caravan of dangerous immigrants somewhere south of the Border will destroy jobs and turn us all […]

Learn More October 22, 2018

Confucius on Fundraising Tech Tools

The other day I received an email from the admirably and voraciously curious Simone Joyaux attaching the 2018 Global NGO Technology Report  listing the “10 Most Effective Tools” for online use by nonprofits around the world. Simone asked: “Do you believe the nonprofits are “correct”?  Or, are theser nonprofits thinking stuff is good but they don’t actually know […]

Learn More April 17, 2018

Paying to Acquire Advocates

Last month, we talked about the advocate donor identity: how to tell if you have one, the science behind online activism, and how to get and convert advocates. Let’s assume you’ve gone through those, determined you have an advocate identity, and found it to be valuable (not all advocates are and advocacy is not a […]

Learn More March 27, 2018

Advocacy Fundraising #3: Finding and Converting Advocates

You’ve defined your Advocate Identity.  And you know the slacktivism traps.  But,  how do you acquire constituents who are advocates, then convert them to donors? There are services like Care2 and CQ Roll Call that will sell you advocates.  I’ve heard mixed results from these services, including one recently who said her online advocates finally […]

Learn More February 23, 2018

Advocacy Fundraising #2: Slacktivism Science

Online advocacy has a bad name.  Specifically: slacktivism (or clicktivism).  Seth Meyers put the prevailing opinion into funny words on SNL: “Look, if you make a Facebook page we will “like” it—it’s the least we can do. But it’s also the most we can do.” This frames the debate well.  Is online activism  a prelude […]

Learn More February 22, 2018

<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 17 >>

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 […]

    Read Full Answer

    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 […]

    Read Full Answer

    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 – […]

    Read Full Answer

    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 […]

    Read Full Answer

    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 […]

    Read Full Answer

    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 […]

    Read Full Answer

    DonorVoice products

    Commitment System

    Donor Feedback Platform™

    PreTest Tool

    TouchPoint Mapping



      • © Copyright 2005 - 2025, The Agitator. All Rights Reserved.
      • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Sitemap
      • RSS Feed
      • We welcome your feedback!