from first connections to flourishing relationships
Grow your fundraising success through donor psychology and supporter experience insight
Welcome to Verdantly, where I blend fundraising expertise with supporter psychology to help charities build stronger donor connections. I’m Sam, a fundraiser and marketing specialist who believes every donor connection can blossom into a lasting relationship.
Drawing on the latest research in giving psychology and experiential marketing, I translate complex theories into practical advice. Here you’ll find articles, guides and tools that show why donors give and how to engage them more effectively.
Research has shown that improving the supporter experience can lead to long-term fundraising success, enabling charities to boost loyalty and income. One study even found that a one-point increase in donor loyalty delivered roughly 20% increase in income and 15% increase in retention.
These insights guide everything I do – by understanding the psychology of giving, non-profits can cultivate deeper trust, loyalty and impact.
What you’ll find here:
Evidence-based insights on donor motivation and behaviour – drawn from fields like psychology, sociology and marketing
Practical tips for designing memorable supporter experiences (online and offline) to deepen engagement
Strategies for building supporter loyalty and retention, backed by research
Resources on ethical fundraising and stewardship, ensuring donors feel valued and informed
Whether you’re a fundraiser, development manager or charity leader, Verdantly is your hub for learning how to turn first connections with supporters into lasting partnerships. Check out the Insights & Resources section for articles, quick-read posts and how-to guides. And if your team needs hands-on help, I still offer tailored fundraising and training services (see Services page).
About me
I’m Sam Thomas, founder of Verdantly. For years I’ve worked in the nonprofit sector leading fundraising and marketing efforts. With a background in strategic planning and a Master’s in experiential marketing, I’ve seen firsthand how understanding donor psychology can transform results. I cover areas like individual giving, regular giving, stewardship, data, marketing and communications – all to serve one goal: putting supporters at the heart of your fundraising.
I take pride in an interdisciplinary approach. I weave together fundraising know-how, marketing techniques and psychological insights to tailor solutions to each organisation’s needs.
In practice, this means I look at the big picture – from storytelling and branding, to supporter journey maps and feedback loops – so you connect with donors on a human level.
My specialisms include:
Fundraising & Philanthropy: Individual, regular, in-memory and employee giving campaigns.
Marketing & Messaging: Crafting appeals, propositions and stories that resonate.
Supporter Experience & Stewardship: Designing and evaluating every touchpoint in the donor journey.
Data & Analytics: Using data to understand and improve supporter engagement.
Experiential Marketing: Creating emotional, participatory experiences for donors.
In short, I maintain an open, research-led “ecosystem of knowledge”, combining these skills to fit your charity’s unique situation. I’m based in Ringwood, UK, but work with organisations of all sizes, anywhere. Outside work I’m a curious learner – always digging into the latest fundraising studies so I can share practical wisdom with you.
In the Insights & Resources section you’ll find a library of articles, blog posts and research digests on supporter experience and donor psychology. I break down complex studies into actionable ideas – for example, I have shared a summary of my own research that explores how experiential marketing principles can help charities co-create with supporters and amplify emotional touchpoints.
Topics include:
Donor Psychology: Why people give – covering motivations like altruism, social belonging and personal values.
Supporter Experience: How donors perceive your charity at every interaction and how to make those experiences meaningful.
Fundraising Best Practices: Research-backed guidance on appeals, stewardship, major gifts, legacy giving and more.
Ethical Fundraising & Trust: What builds long-term commitment (e.g. commitment, satisfaction, trust) and how to communicate integrity.
Every piece of content is rooted in evidence. For instance, research consistently shows that understanding the psychology of giving helps organizations build more meaningful donor relationships. You’ll find quick reads, infographics, checklists and even short videos – all aimed at equipping you with ideas you can try immediately. New posts are published regularly.
For deeper dives, I also produce in-depth research articles that examine a topic thoroughly (like a case study or survey results) and outline practical takeaways. Each article ends with clear steps or a checklist you can use in your own work. Feel free to browse by category or subscribe for updates. My goal is to make Verdantly the go-to place for fundraisers seeking to apply human-centred science to their work.
Insight & Resources
Services
While this site focuses on free knowledge-sharing, I continue to offer consulting and support for organisations that need extra support. My services include:
Fractional Fundraising Partnership: I can join your team part-time to provide strategic oversight and implementation support.
Project or Campaign Support: I consult on specific needs – whether that’s launching a big appeal, improving donor onboarding, or running a special campaign.
In all these roles, I bring the same evidence-based mindset you see on this site. For example, when working on your supporter journey, I’ll draw on research confirming how improved experience boosts donor loyalty and income. My aim is to give you tailored, practical solutions – not just reports – so that your organisation can thrive by serving supporters better.
Contact
I’d love to hear from you. Whether you have questions about an article, want to discuss how these ideas apply to your charity, or are interested in working together, please get in touch. Email me below or see the contact page. I’m based in Hampshire, UK, but work with charities nationwide. Let’s connect supporters and causes in a way that feels meaningful to everyone involved.