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“Audience-Led” Is the New Low Bar. Time to Raise It.

“Audience-led” sounds strategic. But too often, it just means sorting your file by lifecycle stage, giving level, or age group — and sending slightly different versions of the same thing.  It’s like a choose-your-own-adventure where every path ends with the same appeal, just in a different font. Different ≠ Deeper Yes, coordinating across channels is […]

Learn More April 4, 2025

Your Fundraising Team Needs a Robot With The Right Personality

Fundraising is communication. Communication is psychology. Psychology is trait-driven. And now… fundraising is also AI-driven. But don’t take that from a blog post. Take it from MIT. They ran a field experiment — not a lab simulation, not some clever survey. A real-world test with 2,310 participants creating real ad content for a real think […]

Learn More April 2, 2025

A Billboard and Brush. Defiance and Hope

Given the last 70 days of assholery, cruelty, mendacity, and stupidity, we all deserve an uplifting start to the week. Thus the following story appearing on Substack by the author whose nom de plume is Your Weirdo Friend. There’s something about this story—simple, plainspoken—that cuts through all the  noise and bloviating hammering us daily. No […]

Learn More March 31, 2025

When Progress Isn’t Enough: The Risk of Public Goals in Fundraising

One of the greatest movies of all time for those of us who enjoy parody, slapstick and juvenile humor is Will Ferrell’s Talladega Nights. He spends most of his life against an impossible standard of “if you ain’t first you’re last”, a motto from his father who was high on peyote at the time he […]

Learn More March 28, 2025

Fundraising’s 3-Minute Track Problem

There’s a popular belief that modern songs are shorter because people—especially young people—have shorter attention spans. Makes sense, right? TikTok. Streaming. Clicks. Scrolls. No patience. Turns out… wrong. A recent data dive from Stat Significant analyzed 150 million song streams and listener behavior. What they found is more interesting—and far more relevant to fundraising than […]

Learn More March 26, 2025

Cracking the Code: How to Make Sure Donors See Themselves in Your Appeals

Most fundraising messages follow the same pattern: brand on one side, programs on the other, and hope in between. We call this bookend fundraising, heavily focused on who we are as an organization and what we do, while leaving the rest of the bookshelf, where the donor’s personal story should be, empty. The rub?  The […]

Learn More March 24, 2025

More Exposure, More Money…Until It Backfires Like a Bad Tinder Streak

A mysterious student at Oregon State University attended class for two months completely enveloped in a large, black bag. Only his bare feet were visible. Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 11 a.m., the Black Bag sat on a small table at the back of a Speech 113 – Basic Persuasion class. The professor knew […]

Learn More March 19, 2025

Weaponized Giving

The prevailing wisdom in fundraising circles is giving is fueled by altruism, a desire to help. But recent research on retributive philanthropy—donating to punish a perceived wrongdoer—turns this assumption on its head. Donors are motivated not just by love but also by anger, moral outrage, and a thirst for justice. Retribution donations spike when donors […]

Learn More March 17, 2025

Building a Shit Sandwich for Trump

          The green shoots are rising. They push through the cracks, stubborn, reaching for light. You see it in the streets. In the faces at town halls. In the crowds swelling, growing, multiplying.            It started in places people don’t always look. Decatur, Georgia. Vancouver, Washington. Pittsburgh, […]

Learn More March 14, 2025

Past Giving Predicts Future Giving—And That’s the Problem

Past giving predicts future giving, and that’s where the circular logic of donor understanding begins. It’s like saying, someone is on time because they tend to be punctual. True, but not useful. Yes, past behavior can improve efficiency. But you can efficient your way out of business. What this sector needs is more effectiveness—not just […]

Learn More March 12, 2025

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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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