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Nonprofit Leadership Podcast

How Our Brains Are Wired for Generosity and Why It Matters

July 12 · 35 min · 50.5 MB
0:00-35:06

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Why do people give—and what happens in the brain when they decide to support a cause? Rob Harter sits down with fundraising strategist, behavioral science expert, and Neurogiving author Cherian Koshy to explore the neuroscience behind generosity. Cherian explains why charitable giving is closely connected to emotion, identity, belonging, and the brain’s reward systems—and why facts alone rarely inspire someone to donate.

Cherian also shares practical ways nonprofit leaders can create more meaningful donor experiences, reduce unnecessary friction, and build lasting relationships rooted in trust. The conversation examines the ethical use of neuroscience and artificial intelligence in fundraising, emphasizing that these tools should deepen human connection rather than manipulate donors or reduce them to data points.

Key Topics Include:

  • Why generosity and charitable giving are wired into the human brain
  • How giving expresses a donor’s identity, values, passions, and sense of belonging
  • Why nonprofit communications should connect emotionally before presenting facts and data
  • How confusion, excessive choices, insider language, and complicated donation forms create friction
  • The difference between harmful friction and intentional questions that reinforce donor identity
  • Ethical considerations for using neuroscience and artificial intelligence in fundraising
  • How consistency, curiosity, transparency, and patience build donor trust and lifelong loyalty

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