Chapter 26: Understanding Individual Donors
Philanthropic giving is a deeply personal act. Charitable donations are the result of many factors, including the resources that people have access to, their personal motivations and values, but also their social interactions and the context in which people make their giving decisions. This chapter briefly explains how examining each of these factors can build understandings of individual donors and their giving behavior. The chapter emphasizes research on donors’ personal motivations and values and provides resources for applying the research to fundraising practice. With this knowledge in hand, fundraisers will be better prepared to communicate with donors in ways that resonate and to build stronger long-term relationships.
Pamala Wiepking
Pamala Wiepking, Ph.D., is the Visiting Stead Family Chair in International Philanthropy and Visiting Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and Professor of Societal Significance of Charity Lotteries at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She studies international and interdisciplinary explanations for philanthropy with the aim to help create more generous societies.
Pamala Wiepking discusses the chapter with Bill Stanczykiewicz, Achieving Excellence editor and Director of The Fund Raising School.