Developing Relationships With In Memoriam Charitable Donors: Insights from the Bereavement Literature

Abstract

Purpose: Despite a growing interest in in memoriam fundraising amongst non-profits and the future potential of this income stream, comparatively little is known about the motivations or experiences of people who choose to donate to non-profits in memory of a loved one. This paper investigates where insights from the extant literature on bereavement may aid non-profits to build relationships with their bereaved supporters.

Design/methodology/approach: This study examines the bereavement literature from the perspective both of the difficulties associated with losing a loved one, and recovery from bereavement. It focuses on two particularly challenging aspects of bereavement: namely, the urge to search and the shattering of assumptive worlds. It then considers areas generally associated with recovery from grief: finding meaning in the death, the continuation of bonds with the deceased, social support and finally, symbolic immortality.

Findings: The literature suggests a number of ways in which charities may be able to add value to their relationships with bereaved supporters, potentially aiding them to:

• Find purposeful activity

• Make sense of their loss

• Re-construct their own identity

• Memorialise the deceased

• Incorporate the deceased into their family and social life

• Create a sense of symbolic immortality for the deceased

Limitations: Although the literature suggests a range of ways charities may be able to add value to their donors' experience, further research and sensitive testing would be needed to understand whether these suggestions truly translate effectively into fundraising practice.

Contribution: This paper suggests a number of ways in which non-profit organisations can add value to the experience of their bereaved supporters, and, potentially, develop long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with them. It is hoped that the paper will help to stimulate future research into this area of charitable giving.