A Social Marketing Study of Financial Giving to Australian Charities: Demographics, Motivations and Relationships

Social marketing had enjoyed a growth in interest and research in recent years with its focus on issues regarding the welfare of society. One important area within this broader context concerns nonprofit marketing and the nonprofit sector. The nonprofit sector is an important and growing component of the Australian economy. It employs close to 900,000 people and contributes $34 billion annually to the national economy whilst providing a valuable range of community services. It is a complex sector that has experienced rapid growth and major changes to the environments within which nonprofit organisations (NPOs) operate. Intense competition has become a characteristic of the sector in recent times, with greater numbers of NPOs competing for the limited donor dollar. In this competitive environment, marketing has a crucial role to play in the development of fundraising strategies for these organisations, as the impetus to seek greater financial donations from the general public has increased in importance.Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2011