Donor Giving Increases With Incentives That Appeal to Sense of Social Status

"Individuals with high levels of wealth or who tend to support political candidates -- people who may have greater incentive to seek occasions for social networking -- place a much higher value on the private benefits associated with their giving levels," said Holger Sieg, professor of economics at the Tepper School and co-author of the study. "These individuals are key to the sustainability of nonprofit organizations, so it is more important than ever to appeal to what motivates such donors to give."