Why does an individual donate and help people in need? This question has been posed by numerous experts in different fields, from psychology, sociology, biology, anthropology to economics and, last but not least, neuroscience. Some have come up with results that are measurable while others argue that such motives can not be empirically measured. Bakkers and Wiepking (2011a) made an extensive literature review and formulated eight mechanisms with the strongest influence on the motivation to donate: awareness of need, solicitation, costs and benefits of the donor, altruism, reputation, psychological benefits, values of the donor and the efficiency of charity. Each of these mechanisms forms a motive for donating, which personifies good intentions and/or one’s own benefit. Knowing the motives of potential donors is also very important for charity organisations in order to shape their fundraising strategies and plans. In this, the donors’ trust also depends on the specific organisation and its operation. Charity is thus not uniform; rather, patterns emerge – some more, others less represented. I studied them by means of qualitative methodology. I conducted ten semi-structured interviews with people who had donated at least once to Anna’s Little Star, the charity organisation I used as a case study. Through the interviews, I tried to find out which motivations to donate prevail among the interviewees. Their answers showed that their motives for donating are based on empathy, sincerity, and the desire to help a person in need. It is also very important for them to donate to a trusted charity known for operating in a transparent and honest manner.
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