Charities are being urged to better understand donors’ personal connection to good causes, according to latest research.

The research advises that this approach would improve charities awareness of donors’ motivation for giving and improve retention rates to ensure they continue to give long term.

According to the analysis by the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy a donor’s connection may involve personal links to charities’ beneficiaries.

It could also be through volunteering, links with other donors, the charity itself or other providers of similar services.

Admiration for the charity’s brand or “outstanding leader” may be another strong factor connecting donors with good causes. This could include respect for religious leaders involved.

The Institute’s research found that “while donor surveys may routinely gather information about interests and motives, they should also work to determine the appropriate focus of connection”.

“This can then drive retention strategy as the focal connection can be strengthened,” adds the Institute’s report Loyalty Meets Philanthropic Psychology: A New Approach to Supporters Retention.

As well as surveying donors about their connection, the Institute’s research recommends giving “donors a voice by sending a brief message to a focus of their love” linked to the charity they are supporting.

"For the purposes of this exploratory work, we focused on the level of the organisation and asked people to send a message of support to the organisation’s team,” states the research.

“We now believe it would be smarter to allow donors to send a message to the specific stakeholder that is the target of their love. This, we believe, would be more meaningful.”

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