Charitable Giving and Nonbinding Contribution-Level Suggestions - Evidence from a Field Experiment
CESifo, Munich, 2014
CESifo Working Paper No. 4654
![](https://cesifo.org/DocImg/cesifo1_wp4654.jpg?c=1689236917)
When asking for donations, charitable organizations often use suggestions concerning the amount of potential contributions. In our randomized field experiment, opera visitors received solicitation letters asking to support a social youth project organized by the opera house. The three different treatments were: no suggestion and suggestions of €100 and €200, respectively. The findings are that suggestions substantially influence the distribution of donations received. The mean amounts given increase significantly. The increase is stronger in the €200 treatment. On the other hand, the participation rate decreases if a suggestion is made. Overall, the returns from the campaign increase non-significantly.
Public Finance