Donor Motivations for Giving Vary With Income and Education

These income differences in the motivations selected were statistically significant and took into account differences in education level, marital status, and age so as to isolate the effect of income differences on motivations.

“At CCS, we advise nonprofit organizations to strengthen their donor cultivation and stewardship initiatives, including increasing their understanding of how they can best relate to donors of different backgrounds,” said Robert Kissane, President of CCS. “Donors are individuals and personalized strategies for engagement are crucial. Today’s donors want to make a difference, see real impact, and understand the return on investment of their gifts. The overall objective of giving doesn’t necessarily change as a result of geography, but this study shows that the way donors describe their reasons for giving often varies, therefore the messaging and case for support needs to appeal to that particular constituency’s motivation.”