Study of empathy in charity fundraising campaings in Belgium

Abstract

Belgian charities play a key role in humanitarian and development aid, both nationally and internationally. It is therefore essential for them to be able to organise effective fundraising campaigns. The persuasive methods of these campaigns often make use of the empathic character of donors, and this plays an essential role in their decision to donate. This thesis first presents a review of the scientific literature on the variables influencing donor behaviour, with particular attention to the emotional motivations and empathy of the donor. Then, results of a qualitative study conducted among fundraisers in various Belgian charities are presented and discussed. The results of this study show that, despite the existing theoretical tools and studies, the design of persuasive fundraising messages is mainly based on the know-how of the designers. These campaigns put forward content oriented towards the reality of the field and reject the use of shocking and sensationalist content. Finally, according to the interviewees, the empathy of the donor positively influences his donation intention and is preferred to the pure appeal of negative emotions.