Researchers are using controlled experiments and psychological
testing to better understand why people feel compelled to donate to
a charity--or give it a pass. Some of their findings turn
conventional charity wisdom on its head. While heart-rending
stories can inspire donors, it turns out other tactics work well,
too. Among them:
Giving donors a spotlight: Public recognition can motive
donations even for small donors, not just rich ones who get their
names on stadiums. An experiment by professors at Harvard and Yale
showed that just promising to mention donors' names in a newsletter
raised the probability of their giving to 13.7% from 11% and
boosted gift sizes to an average of $66 from $58.
Flaunting big-name donors: An experiment involving TechnoServe,
a charity focused on international development, showed that
identifying the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as a matching
donor increased the probability of an individual giving by about
22%. The effect persisted after the matching period. It's hard for
individuals to evaluate charities, experts say, so knowing that a
big name has donated suggests the cause is a good bet.
Providing a reason to spread the word: An experiment by Clarence
Wardell III, co-founder of online microphilanthropy platform tiny
Give, and George Mason University professors Ragan Petrie and Marco
Castillo showed that donors were more willing to seek donations
from Facebook friends if there were an incentive--in this case an
additional $1 or $5 in the donor's name in return for posting about
the charity on their own Facebook pages. The money came from a
research grant.
Anna Prior
Access Investor Kit for Facebook, Inc.
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