From Research to Practice: Implementing Academic Research on Donor Motivation to Help Fundraisers Improve Relationships with Donors

• In Event: Acquisition, Satisfaction, and Sustainable Relationships in Fundraising

Abstract

How can fundraisers use the academic literature to build stronger relationships with their donors? We argue that one way to do this, is for fundraisers to use knowledge about a donor’s motivations for giving in their future communication with the donor. We assume fundraisers can establish a meaningful and long-term relationship with each donor by focusing on the motivation for the donor to give to their organization in their communication. We argue that by truly understanding why a donor chooses to make a donation, the quality of the relationship could be greatly improved.
In this study we survey the interdisciplinary academic literature about donor’s motivations for giving (e.g., Bekkers and Wiepking 2011; Havens, O'Herlihy, and Schervish 2006; Lindahl and Conley 2002; Sargeant 1999), and based on this literature we derive the key motivations to give for donors. These motivations will likely include both intrinsic motivations (for example altruistic values) as well as extrinsic motivations (such as increasing social reputation). Based on the results of this survey of the literature, we aim to create a validated measure for a donor’s motivations to give which should work for donors to any type of organization, no matter the sector, mission or purpose of the organization. This validated measure for donor motivation will be based on existing (validated) measures when available, but for measures for which measurements are not yet available we will develop and test new measures. We will use a combination of both qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (surveys) research to develop and test these new measures.
Fundraisers can administer this new measure for donor motivation to their donors either online or in person, and easily understand more about their donor’s motivations. They can use this information in their future communication with the donor. Making a meaningful connection, increasing the quality of the relationship and hopefully establish long-term, mutual satisfactory relationships.
In a follow-up project, we will test the efficacy of using the information about a donor’s motivation in fundraising communication. We will examine whether using information about donor’s motivation indeed increases the quality of the relationship between donors and organizations soliciting for funding, and results in more meaningful, long-term relationships.

Bekkers, René and Pamala Wiepking. 2011. "A Literature Review of Empirical Studies of Philanthropy: Eight Mechanisms that Drive Charitable Giving." Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 40:924-73.

Author

• Pamala Wiepking, Indiana University