Where should fundraisers spend their time? The answer is simple—spend it with those who are inclined to give. But how can we know who is most likely to give? Boston College researchers John Havens, Mary O’Herlihy and Paul Schervish suggest some correlations. Their report, “Charitable Giving: How Much, by Whom, to What and How?” goes into great depth exploring these questions. Some of the answers are obvious: people with high income or substantial wealth.   Others are intuitive: people who feel financially secure and those who volunteer.

But would you have known that the greatest predictor of giving behavior is membership in “communities of participation?” These can run the gamut from alumni associations to service clubs to giving societies. So if you don’t have an active giving society, you should start one. It will create a “community” defined by its philanthropy and allow you to show its members the good their giving can do. It may sound simple, but often the best strategies are.

To find the complete research report, go to http://www.bc.edu/research/cwp/publications/by-topic/motivation.html