Most people don’t enjoy asking for money—the ask feels awkward. So don’t rely on courage; rely on method. Behavioral design—clear framing, smart timing, low-friction paths—turns dread into a predictable decision flow. With the right strategies, rooted in behavioral science, a nonprofit can turn the ask into one of its greatest strengths.
Why People Give: The Psychology
Giving isn’t just a whim—it’s the end result of a whole series of thoughts, feelings, and decisions. Psychologists have mapped out this process in detail. There are three models that explain how donors’ attitudes shape the way they give:
- The Hierarchy of Effects lays out the steps a donor takes, from first learning about your organization to making a gift.
- Functional Attitude Theory explores the motivations and needs that drive a donor’s decision.
- The multi-attribute Model explains how, after a person decides why they want to give, they decide which organization deserves their support.
Understanding these models reveals where potential donors might get stuck, how to move them toward action, and why they may choose to support your organization.
Hierarchy of Effects – The Donor’s Journey
So how do these decisions actually unfold? The Hierarchy of Effects model breaks down a donor’s journey into clear, sequential steps:
- Awareness: The donor needs to know your organization exists.
- Knowledge: They want a clear sense of your mission and impact.
- Liking: They develop an emotional connection to your work.
- Preference: They start to choose your cause over others.
- Conviction: The belief forms that their gift will truly make a difference.
- Action: All of this leads to the actual donation.
At each stage, different strategies are effective. A compelling video or strong branding sparks initial awareness, while clear impact metrics help build trust. Stories from beneficiaries foster connection, and a distinctive hook sets you apart. Tangible results reinforce donor confidence, and a simple, mobile-friendly giving platform makes taking action effortless.
In real life, it might look like this:
Lisa first hears about your nonprofit when a friend shares a campaign post on Instagram (awareness). Curious, she visits your website and reads your mission statement and recent success stories (knowledge). She watches a short video of a family your organization helped and starts to feel a real connection to the cause (liking). Over the next few weeks, she notices herself thinking of your organization first when she considers giving (preference). Your newsletter shares data and stories that convince her that her gift will make a difference (conviction). When she clicks a “Give Now” link and makes a donation in under a minute, she’s crossed the final step (action).
Functional Attitude Theory – Why They Care
After understanding how people make giving decisions, the next question is why they give at all. Functional Attitude Theory answers this by showing that a single act of giving can be motivated by a range of needs—practical, personal, or emotional.
The theory identifies four main functions that can drive a gift, depending on what’s most important to the donor at that moment. Sometimes people give because they want results—they’re looking for clear, tangible outcomes, such as, “Your $100 trains a teacher, impacting 50 students.” Other times, giving is about expressing identity and values. For those donors, a campaign claiming, “Empower every child to reach their potential,” feels personal.
There are also moments when people give in order to feel they’re doing the right thing or protecting something important. They’ll respond to affirming language, such as, “Your support creates lasting change.” And sometimes, it’s all about transparency and hard numbers. “Every $1 invested yields $4 in community benefits,” really resonates with those who want to know exactly where and how far their money can go.
Multi-Attribute Attitude Models: How the Donor Chooses You
Of course, motivation is only part of the story. Once a person decides why they want to give, there’s still the question of which organization earns their support.
Even when the heart says yes, the mind still runs the numbers. Donors use a mental scorecard to weigh what they know about an organization against what matters most to them. Psychologists call this a multi-attribute model, and one of the best-known is the Fishbein Model.
Each donor values different factors—organizational efficiency, transparency, alignment with personal values, or innovation. The same person might care about efficiency in one case and about mission and values in another. The key is for the organization to match its message to what matters most to its audience. Some organizations segment communications for different groups; others pick a primary motivator based on their supporters’ top concerns. One nonprofit can appeal to donors with different priorities by how it frames its message. For instance, a clean water organization might highlight “94% of funds go directly to water projects” to reach data-driven supporters, while telling the story of a transformed village for those motivated by values.
The Science of Successful Fundraising
Putting these ideas into practice means mapping your donor base—figure out what drives your people, and how they decide where to give. Build campaigns that speak directly to those motivations. Where you can, segment your communications and tailor the message to match what matters to each group.
Fundraising doesn’t have to be a shot in the dark. Use behavioral science to create more targeted campaigns, speak to your donors’ real motivations, and build trust that actually leads to action.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied upon for legal or tax advice. If you have any specific legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, please consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.
