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Donor retention / loyalty / commitment

From Ship Building to Ship Wrecking

Let’s face it, most fundraisers and the nonprofits they serve—along with virtually every other profession– are governed by motives beyond just the noble ones they claim. Nonprofits need to raise money to survive. Journalism is a business that needs to make money to survive. Political candidates need to raise money to campaign and win. Increasingly there […]

Learn More March 1, 2024

Where Has All the Money Gone?

      Recently The New York Times’ Michelle Goldberg, in her column questioned Where Has All The Left-wing Money Gone?  Citing “endless appeals, sometimes in bold all caps” of the seemingly endless the-sky-is-falling, guilt-tripping and flood of fundraising emails is a reason folks aren’t donating as much as they used to.      She […]

Learn More October 2, 2023

Dark Brandon Launches $2 Billion Campaign

A week ago President Biden officially launched his 2024 re-election bid with a web video recapping a busy two years of action and threats, and an online fundraising blitz. The blastoff was intended to squelch speculation that Biden wouldn’t run again,  and start the process of raising tons of money. So how did it do? […]

Learn More May 3, 2023

Discover Fresh Potential in the New Peer-to-Peer Landscape

Otis and Katrina have done it again!  I’m speaking of fundraisers/authors Katrina VanHuss and Otis Fulton. Their just-released  Social Fundraising: Mining the New Peer-to-Peer Landscape —  a must-read encore to Dollar Dash, their breakthrough guide to tapping the true potential of Peer-to-Peer fundraising. The potential of Peer-to-Peer fundraising (let’s call it P2P for brevity’s sake although […]

Learn More February 6, 2023

Is Twitter Political?

Much ink has been spilled decrying social media rabbit holes and political echo chambers, threatening our democracy by increasing hyper-partisanship and extremism.  And that was before Musk. What if it’s fake news?  It’s true there are hyper-partisan people on Twitter.  It’s also true many of these hyper-partisans are opinion influencers with big followings. The problem […]

Learn More December 16, 2022

Your Unicorn is Only Two Clicks Away

Click. Like. Follow. Attend. Or is it attend, follow, click, like?  Non-financial behavior may be useful but there are lots of weak-tea ideas being trotted out under the banner of Engagement requiring Agitator scrutiny. Here are my top two notions about Engagement that should be relegated to the dung pile where optimists and engagement hustlers look for […]

Learn More November 21, 2022

Election ’22: Will the “Youth Vote” Matter?

Blue wave?  Red wave?  Tsunami or mere ripple?  With only hours to go before Tuesday’s Mid-Term elections the outcome is anyone’s guess.  There are almost as many “answers” as there are pundits prognosticating. One of the major unknowns is the wild card labeled “the Youth Vote.”  I say “wild card” because of this group’s historically […]

Learn More November 7, 2022

What the Hell is Cadence?

Cadence had its heyday in the 1800s according to the fount of all wisdom, the Google machine.  But it’s making a heck of a comeback as it turned the corner from a musical, rhythmic usage to business speak, 101.   What might we have lost in this talk of cadence for our direct marketing and […]

Learn More August 1, 2022

How to Fundraise Like a Big Mac Marketer

Old school Big Mac marketers would sell a Big Mac… By hiring an agency to come up with a clever, “emotional” ad.  Like this one. This ad would be shown to the McDonald’s rewards customers in email and on social. It would be aimed at anyone on mobile doing a search for “fast food near […]

Learn More June 29, 2022

The Non-Political Twitterverse

Much ink has been spilled decrying social media rabbit holes and political echo chambers that threaten our democracy by increasing hyper-partisanship and extremism. What if that’s fake news?  It’s true there are hyper-partisan people on Twitter.  It’s also true many of these hyper-partisans  are opinion influencers with big followings. The problem with the echo-chamber thesis […]

Learn More June 8, 2022

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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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    The Agitator Tool Box

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



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