Browsing by Author "O'Connor, Heather A."

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Breaking the isolation: fundraisers, informal support groups, and professional growth
    (2018-11) Shaker, Genevieve G.; Nathan, Sarah K.; Janin, Pat D.; O'Connor, Heather A.
    Although understanding of the fundraising profession is growing, less is known about fundraisers working in smaller nonprofits, with limited access to professional associations. In this grounded theory study, we conducted focus groups with fundraisers who created an informal professional association. Literature has indeed shown that such associations can provide self-regulation, knowledge diffusion, and professional identity–similar to that offered by larger, formal associations. Our objective was to explore why, when, and how fundraisers in small organizations form and use informal associations for professional growth and confidence. We created a model/theory describing one group’s process with implications for supporting the profession.
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    The million dollar donor journey: Stages of development for high-net-worth women donors
    (Wiley, 2021) Dale, Elizabeth J.; O'Connor, Heather A.; Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
    Most charitable giving research focuses on individual donors at a specific point in time and uses quantitative surveys with limited data about donors' experiences. This study uses reflective interviews to examine the life trajectories of a cohort of women donors who have made gifts of $1 million or more to causes that benefit women and girls. By drawing from developmental psychology, we illustrate the iterative process of learning about giving—shaped by life experiences—that comprise the journey to becoming a million-dollar donor. We find that, in their journeys toward making their million-dollar commitment, women donors followed a shared trajectory with distinct stages and prompts for progression. Our findings provide guidance for fundraising professionals to recognize the stages of a potential donor's readiness to give and to facilitate progression in the journey, thus increasing the potential for more large-scale gift commitments in the future and deepening the donor–fundraiser relationship.
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    The unexpected activist: Catholic women who donate to pro-choice causes
    (Wiley, 2022-11) O'Connor, Heather A.; Philosophy, School of Liberal Arts
    Social identity informs philanthropic behavior. Prior research demonstrates that donors are more likely to support individuals and groups with whom they identify. Yet individuals hold multiple social identities simultaneously. At times, these identities may be experienced as incongruent. This grounded theory study examines how the presence of incongruent identities informs philanthropic behavior by considering the experiences of Catholic women who identify as pro-choice donors and activists. Semi-structured interviews explore how participants' religious beliefs and practices influence their pro-choice philanthropy and vice versa. Findings reveal a common process that participants shared in their development from children raised in conservative, pro-life Catholic households to adults identifying as Catholic pro-choice donors and activists. The identified process extends research into social identity in donor decision-making while illustrating implications for practice by organizations representing controversial causes.