273 - Behavioral Science for Better Donor Conversations with Cherian Koshy

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Dec 9, 2025

Cherian Koshy is a seasoned fundraising leader and behavioral science practitioner with nearly 30 years of experience. He dives into how donors make quick decisions and the neuroscience behind their generosity. Koshy reveals how the right words can create trust, while poorly chosen phrases may shut conversations down. He emphasizes the importance of aligning donor identities with causes over merely pursuing wealth, and warns against the pitfalls of urgency in fundraising. Discover how storytelling and intentional practices can foster better donor engagement.

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INSIGHT

Generosity Is Innate But Shaped

People are born generous but social and cultural experiences shape giving as they grow.
Cherian Koshy argues tapping donor identity alignment unlocks natural generosity.

ADVICE

Guide Donors With Clear Recommendations

Guide donors by explaining what generosity at different levels accomplishes and offer concrete options.
Cherian Koshy says fundraisers should recommend amounts or non‑dollar actions to reduce friction.

INSIGHT

Match Story Type To Donor Need

Not every emotional story fits every donor; misaligned stories can cause compassion fatigue.
Cherian Koshy highlights matching story type to donor connection and timing.

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Donors make decisions regarding generosity faster than you may think. It’s crucial that fundraisers understand how much those split-second decisions matter. This episode delves into the hidden psychology behind giving, the impact of choosing the right words, the signs that shut conversations down, and subtle mistakes even the skilled professionals make.

Grab a copy of Cherian's book: http://amazon.com/Neurogiving-Science-Decision-Making-Cherian-Koshy/dp/1394370458

Grab your special listener bonus: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yKTTzY5da6SJ-4YfhcnnFRatDAz9MVrT/view?usp=sharing

Meet Cherian Koshy, a globally recognized expert in the science of generosity, decision-making, and leadership. He brings nearly three decades of fundraising experience molded by curiosity, frustration, and unrelenting drive to understand why donors do what they do. His new book, ‘Neurogiving,’ is the outcome of years of research and real-world testing, offering a comprehensive resource for fundraisers to understand the generosity that already lives inside every donor.

In this episode, you will be able to:

Understand how donors make split-second decisions shaped by neuroscience and language.
Discover the hidden barriers fundraisers create without realizing it.
Learn the importance of choosing the right words in donor conversations.
Figure out why urgency often backfires and what actually motivates giving.
Learn how to make donor conversations into moments of clarity and trust.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here.

Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it’s the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com

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If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.