TABLE 1
FROM:
College Fund Raising Using Theoretical Perspectives to Understand Donor Motives
Timothy Mann
BACK TO ARTICLETable 1. Summary of theoretical perspectives
| Theory | Characteristics | Fundraising considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Charitable giving | There are three motivations to explain why people make donations: (1) altruism, (2) reciprocity, and (3) direct benefits; altruism is a primary motive in explaining why individuals make donations to a particular cause or charity | Alumni feel a sense of obligation towards alma mater; have pride in their association with their College; alumni feel a responsibility to make donations |
| Organizational identification | People define themselves (in part) by their association with the organization; they feel a strong connection to the organization; proud parent phenomenon; celebrate the organizations successes (i.e. achieving important goals) | Alumni who feel connected to the College as an organization will celebrate the achievement of its strategic and fund-raising goals; they will be inclined to support these goals and be motivated to be a donor |
| Social identification | A person's identity is influenced by how they order themselves into social groups or categories; their social identity evolves from their ordering; people develop a deep psychological connection to that group (i.e. class of students, roommates, athletic team) | Alumni maintain positive psychological connections to a group(s)from their College experience; fund-raising efforts can focus on group-specific goals to motivate alumni to make donations (i.e. hockey team, debate team) |
| Economics | Donors feel utility in making a gift that benefits the recipients; the more apparent the need, the more motivated they are to make a donation | When a potential donor better understands the need or value for gift, there is an increased likelihood that they will make a gift |
| Services-philanthropic | People's behavioral intent is influenced by three constructs: (1) service value, (2) service quality, and (3) satisfaction; these constructs shape a person's overall experience and perception of an organization | When alumni feel they receive professional service and value from their alma mater, they are likely to have a more positive perception of the organization and its fund-raising needs |
| Relationship-marketing | Customers have relationships with an organization ranging from transactional to highly relational; customers who have a positive relationship feel connected to the organization, whereas transactional customers view their relationship as an exchange of services and have no emotional investment in the organization | Effective communication with alumni will help shape a positive relationship between the College and the alumnus; Conversely, poor communication will shape the relationship as more transactional; developing positive relationships between alumni and their College will create an emotional connection that may support fund-raising efforts |
