What Motivates People to Stay—or Walk Away

I led mixed-methods research across donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries, combining interviews, journey mapping, and usability testing to understand why people disengaged and what would keep them involved.

Key Insights:

Clarity unlocks commitment
When the story and next step are obvious, people don’t hesitate, they act.

Small actions drive long-term advocacy
Simple entry points (newsletters, small donations) created pathways to sustained, meaningful support.

Cohesion builds momentum
When people felt part of a bigger, integrated mission, they stayed involved and invited others in.

Positioning for Clarity and Differentiation

English education and natural farming were originally presented as separate initiatives, which made the overall mission feel fragmented and diluted the organization’s core message. We reframed them as interconnected parts of a broader blueprint for rural resilience and economic opportunity.

This strategic repositioning reduced cognitive load, clarified the organization’s value, and helped users see how each program fit into a cohesive, purpose-driven system. It also differentiated the nonprofit in a crowded space with a mission to turn farmland from a liability into an asset.

This reframing changed the way the organization spoke about itself — making its mission feel cohesive, differentiated, and far more compelling.

Designing for Momentum, Not Just Conversion

Every step of the experience was designed to reduce friction and build forward momentum. Starting with low-effort actions like newsletter sign-ups, I used simple cues, timely prompts, and clear pathways to guide users toward deeper forms of support — from one-time donors to long-term advocates.

The funnel model clarified distinct user roles and paired them with the right behavioral nudges, such as default donation amounts, recurring gift options, or calls to action like birthday giving.

By mapping motivation to action, I created an inclusive system that honored different levels of readiness and turned fragmented moments into a coherent journey of commitment.

Building Trust Through the Donation Flow

Interviews revealed a strong undercurrent of donor skepticism — a need for clear proof that contributions were driving real impact, rather than disappearing into overhead, as they’d experienced with other organizations. To address this, I worked with the client to introduce tiered giving levels — Seed, Sprout, and Plant — each tied to a specific, tangible outcome. The clear tiers also leveraged anchoring and the goal-gradient effect, helping supporters see progress toward a bigger mission.  

Measurable Growth and New Partnerships

By aligning design with behavioral principles — minimizing friction, reducing cognitive load, and introducing meaningful nudges — the experience reshaped how people engaged with the organization. Donation completion rates increased by 45%, while a 60% rise in recurring contributors reflected deeper commitment and identity alignment.

Improved clarity and unique positioning also attracted high-impact partnerships, including a carbon credit initiative with climate tech innovators and formal collaborations with government-led programs in education and agriculture.

The bigger picture: This work demonstrated how behavioral design can scale trust, unlock strategic growth, and help mission-driven organizations stand out in a saturated nonprofit landscape.