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

Communications

No More Nonprofits!

Please read this opinion piece — Calling All Boomers: Don’t Start More Nonprofits — by Mark Rosenman, recently published in the Chronicle of Philanthropy. If you’re traveling over the Thanksgiving weekend, take it with you and ponder it. Mark is responding to a study claiming that 12 million Boomers want to start their own nonprofit […]

Learn More November 21, 2011

Two Looks At Nonprofit Social Media

Here are two good items on nonprofit use of social media. For a macroview, The Nonprofit Quarterly reported recently on a Craigconnect study of fifty top US charities using social media, grouped in these focus categories — Animal, Children, Cultural, Disaster Relief, Environment, Health, Veterans & Military, and Women. All the charities compared are pretty […]

Learn More November 17, 2011

Would Your Donors Miss You?

James Read at the Grizzard agency wrote a recent post, What Would Steve Jobs Do At Your Nonprofit? In it, he asks the question: “…are there many nonprofit organizations out there that would be similarly mourned if they disappeared overnight?” And he answers himself: “Unfortunately, many nonprofits wouldn’t be missed. They’re competent, good, and provide […]

Learn More November 16, 2011

Flat Earth Fundraising: Lessons From Italy & Greece

Permit me a personal essay, please. The reason your 401(k) is turning into a 101(k) is because politicians don’t understand numbers. Numbers that reflect the reality of too much bank leverage … too much spending … too little revenue. This has nothing to do with ideology. It’s just math. ‘Innumerate’ is the term for folks […]

Learn More November 10, 2011

Give Locally

comScore has just published a study on how consumers are coping with the continuing recession and the impact this is having on brand loyalty. Their conclusion is signaled in the title: The Effects of the Recession on Brand Loyalty and ‘Buy Down’ Behavior: 2011 Update. (registration required to download study) What they find is that […]

Learn More November 7, 2011

The Future Of Fundraising

Send this to your CEO and every member of your board. Right now! Frankly, I’m exhausted from preparing this, but I really hope you’ll invest the  time to read the whole post. Believe me, it’s worth it if you care about the future of your organization. Here’s why. Blackbaud has just delivered a “must read” […]

Learn More November 4, 2011

Here’s A Successful Fundraising Event

Awhile back we reported on Seth Godin’s rant against fundraising events. And I confess The Agitator leaned toward Godin’s point of view, though we waffled a bit. That post generated quite a few comments — pro and con. So we feel duty bound to bring you attention to this successful fundraising event — for the […]

Learn More November 3, 2011

Fundraising Atlas Does More Than Shrug

At the end of April I reported on a new forecasting service, The Atlas of Giving. I called it an important innovation because fundraisers have largely sought guidance through the rear view mirror of past performance, as opposed to steering through the windshield of the present and future. After all, ‘til the Atlas of Giving […]

Learn More November 2, 2011

Isn’t It Nice To Win?

The winner for Most Innovative Fundraising Campaign at the recent International Fundraising Congress was Diankonie Frankfurt, for a campaign called Help the Oma (grandmothers). The campaign actually sought to enlist volunteers to help with Diakonie’s various social service programs. [I hope I’m reasonably accurate … my German isn’t what it used to be!] Here’s the […]

Learn More October 31, 2011

First, Make Rice

Roger and I are planning to push hard for innovation in posts to come. But don’t mistake that thrust for our abandoning of the necessity to master the basic fundamentals of fundraising. Seth Godin wrote a real gem on this point a couple of weeks ago. It’s short, so I’ve reproduced in its entirety … […]

Learn More October 26, 2011

<< 1 … 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 … 133 >>

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

    The Agitator Tool Box

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



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