# Catch 'em Young!

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2010/06/21/catch-039em-young/
- Published: 2010-06-21T14:14:18+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The recent study into donor motivations and behaviour featured earlier this month
in the Chronicle of Philanthropy made for interesting – and potentially useful –
reading.

I’m normally sceptical about lifting research from one country and applying it in
another, (especially if the research was done in the US!), but the study by California
based Hope Consulting makes some valuable conclusions that may well apply in the
UK too.

In their study, funded amongst others by the Rockerfeller and Hewlett Foundations,
Hope surveyed 4,000 individual donors about their giving, seeking to identify what
led to their selection of charities to support. The survey targeted donors with 
household incomes over $80,000 per annum, as this group collectively make 75% of
all charitable donations in the US.

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One key finding is that donor motivations differed little between those just above
the bottom end of the chosen income scale and the very wealthy. In addition, donors
were found to be generally very loyal to their chosen causes. Hope’s conclusion 
is therefore that charities should seek to recruit donors young, i.e. before they
have settled on the causes they will often support for the rest of their lives. 
The suggestion is that not only will life-time values be greater if charities target
younger donors, but that they may be easier to recruit than “brand loyal” older 
donors.

This is a gross simplification of a107 page report, with many interesting findings.
Although some of it is specific to the US, my feeling is that there are some useful
nuggets for us here too. To read the report in full see:

http://www.hopeconsulting.us/pdf/Money%20for%20Good_Final.pdf

What strikes me is that we could do with more research of this scale and quality
in the UK. Let’s hope the IoF’s attempts to achieve this will be successful!

 * **[Waysact](https://fundraising.co.uk/2012/05/31/waysact/)** (31 May 2012)
 * **[Collaborate offers improved acquisition and retention through combined supporter data](https://fundraising.co.uk/2015/07/14/collaborate-offers-improved-acquisition-and-retention-through-combined-supporter-data/)**(
   14 July 2015)
 * **[Rethink Mental Illness promotes gardening in acquisition campaign](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/04/06/rethink-mental-illness-promotes-gardening-in-acquisition-campaign/)**(
   6 April 2016)