Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/34777 
Year of Publication: 
2008
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 3278
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This study designs a natural field experiment linked to a controlled laboratory experiment to examine the effectiveness of matching gifts and challenge gifts, two popular strategies used to secure a portion of the $200 billion annually given to charities. We find evidence that challenge gifts positively influence contributions in the field, but matching gifts do not. Methodologically, we find important similarities and dissimilarities between behavior in the lab and the field. Overall, our results have clear implications for fundraisers and provide avenues for future empirical and theoretical work on charitable giving.
Subjects: 
Charitable giving
threshold public goods
fundraising
field experiments
JEL: 
C93
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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