The science of giving

When a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey team collided with a semi-trailer in April 2018, over $15 million was raised in 12 days from more than 140,000 contributors from across Canada and numerous countries around the world.

When an earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, people raised hundreds of millions for relief. Kids sold lemonade. A couple gave away money saved for their wedding. A celebrity hosted a spinning class with front-row "seats" going for $1,000.

When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, charities raised more than $350 million in less than three weeks, much of it directed toward the Red Cross, but a substantial portion generated by personal appeals from high profile Houstonians with their own foundations.

Why do we open our wallets for strangers? What inclines people to such collective generosity? And how can we use our understanding of this type of human behaviour to help not-for-profit agencies be more successful over the long-term?

Here's the short answer: people feel energized and emotionally rewarded by giving. It makes people feel like they're part of something bigger than themselves, But the positive feelings are connected to more than the donation itself. They're generated when people connect and cooperate to do good deeds, says Liz Dunn, assistant professor of social psychology at the University of British Columbia. It's the sense of connection and cooperation that is as important as the gift.

Dunn's research shows that people get the most emotional benefit from giving money to recipients they know personally, or when they know someone who has a direct connection to a cause or organization. That's why someone might feel better giving money to an individual volunteering in Haiti than donating to a large organization to which they have no personal ties. "When we do the kind of giving that's more social, more personal, more meaningful...that's when we see the emotional benefits arising," she said.

As social animals, we feel kinship with others who are like us. Group affiliation can include race, religion, or place of birth (Rider Nation, anyone?). When disaster strikes, we recognize our shared humanity with people in other parts of the world, yet at other times we will privilege members of our own tribe at the expense of others who need our help more. That's why strangers from Humboldt might feel more deserving of aid than strangers from Africa; even if we don’t know anyone who was directly affected, we know they share an identity with us that we don’t share with people in more remote parts of the world.

If we're more inclined to give to people we know, and we're inspired by connection and cooperation, what are the implications of this insight for not-for-profit agencies?

CAST THE AUDIENCE AS THE HERO OF A BIGGER STORY. Most not-for-profit organizations tend to cast themselves as the “hero” of their own story. Posts and articles detail their accomplishments and provide facts about their issues. This approach puts the audience in a passive participant role, especially in between campaigns. The best organizations put the audience in the starring role, and help them feel like they are part of a much bigger story - a “hero” rather than an observer. Content is emotional, personal. Everyday people get to feel involved, emotionally connected to the organization, empowered to have an impact, and enabled to influence others. That's why a fundraising initiative might focus on the person raising the money rather than the recipient. By focusing on the donor, we give others an opportunity to connect with and support "someone like me", which the research suggests is much more influential than giving to an to organization or recipient we don't know.

GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO INSPIRE OTHERS. The best not-for-profits offer up individualized fundraising pages, and invite people to "give up" a special occasions, like a birthday, for the cause. Rather than gifts or drinks out, people ask their social networks to donate to a charity. In the process, everyone on the donors' social networks has the opportunity to get connected, too. There's another reason this kind of fundraiser is powerful: it inspires others to mimic the philanthropic behaviour. The Ice Bucket Challenge for the ALS Association raised $115 million in the summer of 2014 precisely because we're inclined to be like - and do like - our peers. Plus, it was quick, fun, and accessible to everyone.

ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE. Most organizations use a one-sided, broadcast style of communication. This approach appeals to organizations with a mission to inform and educate, especially if they don't have the resources to consistently engage in conversations. But one-sided communication leads to audience disengagement, loss of advocacy influence, and lower online visibility. Instead, focus on creating a platform for conversation, and create opportunities for two-way dialogue with audiences. By engaging in dialogue, not-for-profits can understand their audiences better, and can use that knowledge to develop an overarching, relevant narrative that will keep people engaged over the long-term.

SUSTAIN THE EFFORT. In non-profit and political sectors, a lot of marketing and communication activity happens around campaigns, and drops off dramatically between campaigns. But campaign bumps need to be back-loaded with sustained communication. Otherwise, a lot of advocacy work gets lost. This approach will earn and retain public attention, which in turn allows organizations to reap the benefits of social media and search algorithms.

How can you use the science of giving to improve your organization's fundraising effectiveness?

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