I work with a nonprofit organization that is re-examining its fundraising approach with so-called Major Donors. Major donors are those people who give at or above the highest level solicited by the organization, and they are the people we turn to for fundraising efforts like creating a matching gift pool for new donors. Those who don't give anonymously are listed as major donors in the literature we distribute and may get a couple of freebies such as a free pair of tickets to a fundraising concert. Right now, giving $250/year to this organization qualifies one as a major donor. There's been some discussion of whether we should bump that number up and if so, to what amount.
This has gotten me thinking about the psychology of giving--how I decide on the amount of money to donate to a given organization, how much feels like a lot versus too much, and how the power of suggestion influences what I give. Consider the following:
Scenario 1 An organization I have given $200 in the past sends me a solicitation letter. The letter requests gifts of $100, $250, $500 or "some other amount." Since in previous years I've given $200, I probably wouldn't decrease my gift to $100. But because they've asked for $250, I'd probably scrape up some extra money and give at that suggested level. Lesson: set your ask levels in a way that will encourage people to stretch their giving.
Scenario 2, the flip side of Scenario 1. When I was in college I listened to public radio avidly. As in, I could tell you what time it was by what was on the radio. Every year during the fund drive I felt like I ought to give them some money. But I was broke and I couldn't commit to the lowest level of giving they requested, which was $10 a month, or a total of $120 a year. I could have done $10, period. So I never gave anything, because I felt like they'd scoff at it. To this day I feel so appreciative that my local public radio station makes it clear during their fund drive that any amount whatsoever is appreciated. Lesson: Don't set your lowest ask so high that people feel like they can't afford to support you.
There are a lot of factors that go into philanthropy--obviously your budget and your values play a big role, but for me, I find that how I'm asked also influences how much and to whom I give. How about you? How does the amount you are asked for influence the amount you ultimately give?
8.12.2008
How Major Is Major? Thoughts on Fundrasing
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3 comments:
I am increasing fatigued by NPR and PBS and their repeated requests. We give annually (about $100, I'm still a student), but we get "extra" solicitation at least 6 times a year, it seems, asking us to give more, on top of our donation. Planned Parenthood isn't quite so bad.
My partner has donated elsewhere solo (like the USO), and is more irritated at the assumptions that groups make about his politics than at the endless begging.
Organizations that set the bar too high, or solicit too frequently, do have the effect of inhibiting my donations altogether. My local NPR and PBS stations are prone to this. The March of Dimes is a "repeat" offender.
As a professional fundraiser on a nonprofit salary, I choose organizations where I know my money will be most appreciated. This doesn't always mean smaller, community-based organizations--sometimes I give $25-50 to organizations like Planned Parenthood because I know they use their number of members as an advocacy tool. Likewise with local cultural institutions that I like having around, but who get big grants and corporate sponsorship. And always a $1 contribution to my organization, so we can brag about 100% employee giving. My "major" gifts of $100 go to organizations that provide services, like food banks or local health clinics.
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