Donors say they have more money than time
A recent study by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans found that American adults say they are more likely to donate money than time to causes they support. See Giving Money, Not Time, Preferred Method of Giving:
According to the study, 50 percent of American adults, up 13 percent from 2005, said they found it easier to give their money than their time to a charitable cause, while only 32 percent of respondents, down 10 percent from 2005, believed it would be easier to volunteer their time. However, 14 percent of respondents said they thought both forms of giving were equally easy.
Sounds like Boomers. Harried, busy, event-crowded lives. But with some disposable income. And a desire to have a positive impact. Here are two ways you might address this issue in fundraising:
- Principle of contrast. Tell donors, "You can help by coming in and volunteering -- or by sending a gift today." The contrast between the difficulty of volunteering and the ease of giving may tilt donors toward giving.
- Address the problem. Some donors may feel frustrated at their inability to volunteer. Let them know that a gift, in essence, helps "convert" their work time into high-value volunteer time. This can help raise the perceived value of a gift and make it more attractive to do.
Standard Donor Power Blog caveat on opinion research: Don't take surveys as the literal truth! Even the most rigorously conducted survey only tells you what people say, not necessarily what they do. (Surveys are somewhat less suspect than focus groups; read Focus Groups Can Kill You.) Take this, and all other survey results as hints, glimpses, or clues about donor behavior. Not universal truth.
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