The Economist Group

Behavioral economics is a hot topic these days, and you’ve probably come across its application in a variety of everyday situations — from choice architecture prompting you to select healthier food in the canteen, to altered defaults which help you to save for your retirement, to social norms encouraging you to reduce your energy bills. In this article, we look at various research findings and insights around charitable giving, and list five different ways in which a charity might be able to increase donations.

American Express released findings from a "Perspectives on Nonprofits" survey, which shows that while seven in ten Americans (71%) trust nonprofits more than they trust government or industry to address some of the most pressing issues of our time, more than eight in ten Americans (83%) believe that nonprofits do not always have the resources they need to invest in the growth and development of their employees.