USA Today Covers Charitable Giving
USA Today online has an interesting series of articles on charitable giving and fundraising.Some are profiles and data based on the paper’s original reportage and research provided by Boston College’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy. For example, the Center says that the average American household contributed $1,753 to charity in 2004, and provides a state-by-state breakdown of average giving (as well as donations of volunteer time).Results of a survey on giving conducted in September (after the financial meltdown was in full melt) by USA Today and Gallup are also reported.The good news is that, according to this survey, fully 77% say they intend to give the same amount or more to charity in the coming year.Overall, the survey reports that 65% of American households contribute to charity, and 18% have done so online. In our own DonorTrends 2008 survey, we found that about the same percent (62%) made charitable gifts, but that about 30% reported making online donations.Lots of good material in the USA Today online coverage … USA Today deserves a raise!Tom
Behavioral Science Q & A
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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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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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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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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