Why Donors Give

Abstract

The question asked most frequently in advancement research is, “How can we predict which prospects will become donors?” To that end, we study the characteristics of institutions and try to measure best practices. We study theories of donor motivation. But most of all, we segment prospects by demographic and attitudinal characteristics to determine who are likely donors and, of those donors, who is likely to give large gifts. Perhaps this is not surprising. After all, a young, technically oriented community college in an urban area is not likely to turn into an old, private research university in a small town, so knowing that the latter can more easily garner support does not help fundraisers at the community college do their jobs.