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Breaking Out of the Status Quo

Audience Building and Google

The list and data world are changing fast.  What worked for you last year may not work this year.  If you relied heavily on Google or Facebook to find new donors you may be in for a shock.  The purpose of this week’s posts is to better prepare you for  2020. Here are the main […]

Learn More November 4, 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

Buy Nick’s Book

Nick has written a practical, helpful, and, yes, fun-to-read book on surviving the complex calamity of diminishing donor numbers, clogged acquisition channels and diminishing retention. It’s titled: The New Nonprofit: Six Models to Raise More Money and Accomplish More Mission.  It’s just been released and is ready for your order! I’ve read the book four times […]

Learn More August 22, 2019

Where to Find the Elusive Monthly Donor

As the one-time donor (dator unum) becomes an increasingly endangered species, organizations have correctly gone in search of recurring donors (dator magnus). In the past two years, sustaining gifts have gone from 20% to 30% of (median) organizational revenue.  Much of the search for recurring donors has been centered on trying to get one-time donors, […]

Learn More August 5, 2019

My Last Email

No, I’m not about to quit.  But, when the message popped up in my inbox from Sen. Amy Klobuchar with the subject line reading “My last email” I initially thought she was throwing in the towel. Not so.  She was simply noting that this was her “last email before the first FEC deadline of this […]

Learn More July 19, 2019

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

Treat Consumers’ Data With Respect & Deliver Value in Exchange

I sometimes think my phone is listening to me. I mentioned to my wife we need some new luggage for an upcoming trip and lo and behold, what pops up in my Facebook stream? A string of adverts for all wonderful types of luggage – most of which are sadly out my price range… It […]

Learn More May 8, 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

Creating Communities With a Purpose

I find it fascinating that so many commercial organisations are focussed on creating movements and communities. It is a huge threat to our organisations, as the boundaries between for-profit and non-profit become increasingly blurred. Think back to Nike’s advertisement with Colin Kaepernick last year. How many charities would’ve been brave enough to run such a […]

Learn More April 19, 2019

Speed Round: 7 Updates on 7 Issues

It’s spring, so it’s time for a bit of housecleaning.  Here are updates from the research, field, or my own fevered brain on the Agitator posts you know and love. The return on customer experience.  We talk a lot about the importance of donor experience.  In fact, Craig Linton, who you may know from Fundraising […]

Learn More April 12, 2019

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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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