Teach a Man to Fish: The Use of Autonomous Aid in Eliciting Donations

Stacie F. Waites, Adam Farmer, Jonathan Hasford, Roman Welden

Journal of Marketing Research · 2023 · Volume 60 · Issue 5

Abstract

Nonprofit organizations often position their charitable efforts as fulfilling the immediate needs of those who are disadvantaged (termed “immediate aid appeals”). This study explores an alternative positioning strategy focused on the use of autonomous aid appeals, which promote the use of donated funds to facilitate the eventual self-sufficiency of those in need. Seven studies show that people are more likely to donate to a charity that uses autonomous aid appeals than immediate aid appeals. The authors generalize this effect to various contexts and examine it with actual donation behavior. They find that managerially relevant boundary conditions support a serial mediation model first through perceptions of impact and then by feelings of hope for the recipient's future. To support the proposed framework, they conduct mediation analyses and two process-by-moderation studies. The findings have practical implications for charities and their promotional messaging.

Keywords

nonprofit, charitable giving, appeals, autonomous aid, impact, hope

Enable JavaScript for citation tools and additional paper interactions.