MSU faculty publish research on donor views in nonprofit marketing

Dr. Devin Lunt, visiting assistant professor of marketing, and Dr. Lucas Lunt, assistant professor of marketing, in the Elmer R. Smith College of Business & Technology, have published insightful new research in the “Atlantic Marketing Journal.”

Their study, “A Multi-method Examination of Donor Overhead Aversion: Implications for Marketing a Cause,” examines how people’s views of nonprofit overhead costs affect their willingness to donate.

The study shows that donors often see high overhead costs as wasteful or greedy, even when the money is used to help the organization do better.

"It is tough for an organization to appear to both ‘be good’ and to ‘do good,’” said Dr. Devin Lunt. “It is our job in nonprofit communications to make sure people realize that sometimes we can actually do more good by investing the money in additional fundraising or organizational growth. But, and it is a big BUT, we cannot ever stop being good at the same time.”

The study also suggests ways nonprofits can handle this issue, such as showing the good they achieve even with overhead costs and being clear about how they spend donations.

Dr. Janet Ratliff (Class of 1991, 1992), chair of the Department of Business Administration and professor of management and entrepreneurship, applauded the significance of their work.

“Through the research efforts of our professors, Dr. Devin Lunt and Dr. Lucas Lunt, we find wonderful opportunities to challenge what we know,” said Ratliff. “We teach our students to do the same. This effort to constantly improve thinking is what college is all about.”

To learn more about their research, contact Devin Lunt at d.lunt@moreheadstate.edu or 606-783-2263 and Lucas Lunt at l.lunt@moreheadstate.edu or 606-783-2754.

To learn more about programs in the Smith College of Business & Technology, email cbt@moreheadstate.edu or 606-783-2174.