NGO’s religious affiliation and donation intent: the role of missionary alarm and manipulative intent

Sergei Sevriugin () and Ben Sheehan
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Sergei Sevriugin: School of Social and Cultural Studies, Victoria University of Wellington
Ben Sheehan: Graduate School of International Management, International University of Japan

International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, 2025, vol. 22, issue 2, No 6, 349-371

Abstract: Abstract An individual’s religious orientation is known to predict their donantion intent. But does an aid organizations religious affiliation impact donations? This research investigates the relationship between an NGO’s religious affiliation and donation intent. Missionary alarm (concerns about proselytization) and manipulative intent are tested as accounts for the negative effects of religious affiliation on donation intent. Two experiments compare missionary alarm, manipulative intent and donation intent across three types of NGO: (a) non-faith-based organizations (N-FBO), (b) single-faith-based organizations (one organization representing a single faith; S-FBO), and (c) multi-faith-based organizations (a single organization, representing multiple faiths; M-FBO). The results suggests that religious affiliation reduces donation intent (N-FBO > S-FBO). However, presenting an organization as multi-faith may counteract the negative effects of religious affiliation (M-FBO = N-FBO > S-FBO). The results appear to hold in different charitable contexts (natural disaster aid in Southeast Asia and education aid in Africa). Novel findings include the deleterious effects of missionary alarm, and the positive effects of presenting an NGO as multi- vs. single-faith. Practitioners representing S-FBOs are advised to collaborate with other religions in order to enhance their appeal.

Keywords: Religion; Multi-faith organization; Donation intent; Manipulative intent; Missionary alarm (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s12208-025-00431-2

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