Charity Appeals Using Celebrity Endorsers: Celebrity Attributes Most Predictive of Audience Donation Intentions

We compare the relative influence of different celebrity endorser attributes on respondents’ intentions to donate to a fictitious charity. The celebrity endorser attributes we modeled are expertise, admirability, likeability, trustworthiness, and attractiveness. We examine the moderating effects of audience sex, and general attitudes toward charities. Finally, we examined the mediating effects of perceived endorser fit with the endorsed charity. Our results find that endorser expertise and admirability are significant predictors of audience donation intentions. Audience general attitudes toward charities are a significant moderator of the influence of endorser expertise and admirability on donation intentions. We discuss the implications of our findings for researchers and practitioners.

     

Book Review: The Collaboration Challenge: How Nonprofits and Businesses Succeed through Strategic Alliances. By James E. Austin. Jossey-Bass,San Francisco, 2000

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations -     

Financial Planners and Philanthropic Planning

This article reports findings from a survey of Canadian financial planners. The focus of the study is learning more about the depth and breadth of philanthropic planning that is included in their advising services to their high-net worth clients. The findings indicate that a minority of financial planners (1) regularly broach the topic of philanthropy in their counseling, (2) believe their clients are interested in philanthropy, and (3) feel sufficiently knowledgeable to assist their clients with philanthropic planning. The implications of these findings and recommendations for improvement are discussed.     

Book Review: A Question of Intent: A Great American Battle with a Deadly Industry,David Kessler,Public Affairs,New York, 2001

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations -     

The Implications of Sex Differences on Volunteer Preferences

This study explores the relationship between sex differences and preferences for volunteer roles, organizations, and supervision. A series of hypotheses were developed from prior research on sex differences from the fields of biology, neuroscience, and psychology to determine whether such preferences can be predicted. An online survey panel of over 700 individuals comprised the sample. Many of the hypotheses were supported. Implications of the findings on future research and on volunteer recruitment and retention are discussed.     

Bequest motives and barriers to giving: The case of direct mail donors

Charitable bequests currently account for 9 percent of overall giving in the United States. In this study we examine the motives for this form of support and the potential barriers to giving perceived by members of bequest societies or legacy clubs solicited through direct mail. Through a series of eight focus groups we delineate the individual motives for offering a bequest, the organizational factors that drive gifts of this type, and the potential barriers that could prevent such a gift from being made. The implications for professional fundraising practice are explored.     

Effects of Corporate Support of a Charity on Public Perceptions of the Charity

A quasi-experimental design (N = 517) was used to investigate the effect on audience response to a supported charity if corporate support is featured in an advertisement. The results indicate that corporate support of a charity appears not to influence audience attitudes and donation intentions for the charity. A small portion of the audience may be motivated to donate when learning of a large corporate donation to the charity. The level of individuals’ favorability for the charity was the strongest predictor of their attitudes and intentions. Gender was also a predictor of more positive charity attitudes, with females reporting more positive attitudes than males for three of four charities. Managerial implications and areas for future research are discussed.