There are five themes that consistently shape which causes people support. The first four are drawn from research by the Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy and reinforced through our own work with nonprofit clients. The fifth is something we’ve observed repeatedly in practice.
Theme 1: Tastes, preferences and passions. Influenced by nature, nurture and life experience. Some people love animals and will always give to rescue shelters. Others care deeply about education, or mental health, or the environment. You can’t change what people care about, but you can make sure the right people find you.
Theme 2: Personal and professional backgrounds. People often align giving with their professional identity — a teacher might support literacy programs, an architect might give to heritage conservation. Our “philanthropic autobiographies” shape where we direct our generosity.
Theme 3: Perceptions of charity competence. This one has intensified since 2018. Donors increasingly want to see that their money will be used effectively. They need to believe your organisation is capable before they’ll trust you with their gift. Your visual communications, your reporting, your professionalism — these aren’t vanity, they’re trust signals. If you don’t look like you can deliver, donors will question whether you can.
Theme 4: The desire for personal impact. Many donors want to feel a personal connection with the cause they support and see their contribution making a tangible difference. This is why smaller organisations often punch above their weight in fundraising — donors can see their gift at work. It’s also why impact framing (“your $50 provides school supplies for one child for a term”) consistently outperforms abstract asks.
Theme 5: Identity and organisational personality. This is the one the academic research underplays but that we see play out constantly. Two charities can work on the exact same cause and attract completely different donors — because their personality speaks to different people. Compare the Shitbox Rally with a traditional cancer research gala. Both raise money for cancer. One involves driving a car worth less than $1,000 across the outback; the other involves a ballroom and a silent auction. The donors who love one would never attend the other, and that’s fine — they’re not supposed to. Your fundraising approach needs to match your brand, not just your cause. If your organisation is irreverent and community-driven, a black-tie dinner will feel forced. If you’re a respected research institution, a novelty challenge might undermine your credibility. Know who you are, and fundraise like it.
