The Effect of Involvement on Fundraising: A Charity Field Experiment

Posted: 15 Mar 2016

See all articles by Ernan Haruvy

Ernan Haruvy

McGill University; McGill University - Desautels Faculty of Management

Peter T. L. Popkowski Leszczyc

University of Queensland - Business School

Date Written: March 14, 2016

Abstract

We investigate the effect of fundraiser incentives and orientations on effort and outcomes in a fundraising drive. We report results of a field experiment consisting of over 350 volunteers participating in a fundraiser over a period of two months. A unique feature of this study is that we observe communication and creative effort. Each fundraiser is tasked with maintaining a personal website, creating content, including an essay about personal connection to the charity, and establishing social connections in an effort to raise money. Treatments include a control with no incentives, piece rate incentives and tournaments incentives. We find that funds raised are driven by both creative and communication efforts and that communication effort mediates the impact of piece rate incentives and charitable orientation on funds raised, whereas creative effort mediates charitable orientation only. While creative activity is less critical than communication activity in raising short term funds, it is more sensitive to orientations than communication activity and is driven positively by trust and charitable orientations. Intent to volunteer in future period is shown to be increasing in current efforts and negatively impacted by incentives, without significant mediation.

Suggested Citation

Haruvy, Ernan and Popkowski Leszczyc, Peter T. L., The Effect of Involvement on Fundraising: A Charity Field Experiment (March 14, 2016). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2747696 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2747696

Ernan Haruvy (Contact Author)

McGill University ( email )

1001 Sherbrooke St. W
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G5
Canada

McGill University - Desautels Faculty of Management ( email )

1001 Sherbrooke St. West
Montreal, Quebec H3A1G5 H3A 2M1
Canada

Peter T. L. Popkowski Leszczyc

University of Queensland - Business School ( email )

Brisbane, Queensland 4072
Australia

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