ARTICLES Evidence made practical.
Short reads on donor psychology and supporter experience — the same evidence that sits behind the strategy work, for whenever you want the reasoning as well as the recommendation.
Verdantly helps small-to-medium charities and grassroots, self-funded causes understand what drives supporter behaviour — and turn that understanding into practical, evidence-based strategy.
By combining published research, audience understanding, and real-world experience, I help you uncover patterns, spot opportunities, and make confident decisions that strengthen relationships and support sustainable growth.
Why insight matters
Understanding your supporters is fundamental to effective fundraising, marketing and communications.
Donor psychology, behavioural insight, and experience all play a role in how people engage with your organisation — from first interaction through to long-term support.
When you understand what motivates your supporters, you can:
Communicate more clearly and effectively
Design better journeys
Improve engagement and retention
Build stronger, more meaningful relationships
Make strategic decisions grounded in evidence
Insight isn't just data — it's the foundation for thoughtful, effective action.
Articles
Understanding what makes people give
In a world where charities and mission-driven organisations face tightening budgets and ever evolving social expectations, understanding why people give is more important than ever. A recent systematic review by Atul Kumar and Somnath Chakrabarti shines a light on this very question, synthesising decades of academic research into a roadmap of donor behaviour and pointing the way to future thinking in non-profit engagement.
Give supporters more than a transaction: designing marketing that builds wellbeing
Marketing is changing. Instead of only solving problems or pushing features, the most durable brands create moments that make people feel better — and not incidentally: they generate value for both customer and organisation. Positive psychology gives us a language and a set of mechanisms to design those moments.
Beyond Joy: How Delight Cultivates Gratitude — and What You Can Do as a Fundraiser
Delight isn’t just about making people happy — it’s about creating emotional surprise that shifts perception and deepens gratitude. From that emotional uplift springs a stronger bond and a greater likelihood of ongoing support. For fundraisers, this means designing moments that go beyond expectation, that surprise and delight — not extravagantly, but thoughtfully.
Positive communication: a hidden lever for supporter wellbeing and loyalty
Even small, positive acts of communication—listening, affirming, showing genuine attention—can generate uplifted emotions in donors. Over time, these emotional boosts help build trust, belonging and loyalty. For fundraisers, that means stewarding well is more than a duty: it’s a behavioural tool worth designing and measuring.
Give, feel, and give again — how happiness drives repeat generosity
When I read Aknin and Dunn’s paper, one clear, useable insight jumped out: the emotional return from giving — the happiness people feel — helps make generosity self-reinforcing. In short, people who reflect on giving feel happier, and that happiness makes them more likely to give again. That’s a concrete lever fundraisers can design for.
Why Supporter Experience Is the New Fundraising Superpower
When I set out to explore the role of experiential marketing in the third sector, I had a simple but pressing question in mind: does the “experience economy” really have something practical to offer charities?
This is the kind of evidence that sits behind the strategy work I do — see how it comes together on the Services page.