In a groundbreaking collaboration Kevin Schulman and the DonorVoice team of behavioral scientists, along with a medical team at the National Institutes of Health have achieved the unimaginable: genetically decoding the Five Personality Traits of individual donors.

The breakthrough discovery involves three steps:

Step 1. Genetically identifying an individual’s Personality Traits;

Step 2.  Linking the individual’s code to a specific organization’s appeal subject;

Step 3.  Using AI to automatically create, write and design an appeal or message prepared explicitly for the individual based on his/her genetic code.

Preliminary testing indicates response rates increased 8.47% and the average gift by $6.78.

Yes, you read that correctly. Through meticulous research and innovation, Schulman and the teams have unlocked the genetic code of fundraising success.  This breakthrough paves the way for what may well be a revolution in fundraising, transcending all previous limitations. The equivalent of moving from a whale oil lamp to an LED bulb.

The reaction among veteran fundraisers and researchers with whom The Agitator has shared the research findings range from Ken Burnett’s, “I’m gobsmacked”… to Adrian Sargeant’s “Hmmmm.  Shows promise.  Needs further study”…. to Tom Ahern’s, “Holy Shit”…to Jay Love’s, “Wow!  How much? Can we license it?”.

Further field testing is required before The Agitator is willing to claim that the rules of fundraising have been rewritten.  However, we do note  the effort has caught the attention of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Here’s why this deserves the attention of all Agitator  readers.

Imagine, if you will, a future where fundraising is no longer shrouded in uncertainty and guesswork, but rather guided by the precise science of human behavior. By analyzing  and genetically decoding an individual’s Five Personality Traits—extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness—Kevin’s team  and the NIH scientists have crafted a blueprint for donor engagement that is as precise as it is profound.

But what does this mean for you?   It means bidding farewell to the days of guess work, deferring to the highest paid person in the room, trial and error, RFM, unappreciative CEOs and cheap boards.

Welcome to the new era of strategic precision. Armed with the insights gleaned from genetic analysis, you’ll be able to tailor your campaigns with unprecedented accuracy, captivating donors in ways previously thought impossible..

As whispers of a Nobel Prize swirl in the air, one thing is abundantly clear: this isn’t just a victory for Kevin and his teams, but for fundraisers everywhere. For the first time in history, the world of philanthropy stands on the brink of a scientific revolution.

Let’s raise our glasses (imaginary or otherwise) to Kevin and the Trailblazers.  The Nobel Prize may or may not be within reach, but the  true prize lies in the transformative impact of their work.

On this first day of April may the tears of Unicorn joy guide us all to greater heights.

Roger