Nonprofit fundraising has undergone major shifts in recent years, with recurring donors emerging as the strongest driver of long-term organizational stability. Yet many frontline fundraising teams still rely on outdated, intuition-based methods that fail to incorporate behavioral psychology, predictive analytics, or donor-centered communication.
Recognizing this gap, Naroa Mena developed two original frameworks—the Donor Sustainability Index (DSI Model)and the Donor Engagement Communication Model (DECM)—to modernize acquisition strategies, improve retention, and bring scientific structure to the donor experience.
The DSI Model: Predicting Sustainable Donor Behavior
The DSI Model was created after observing that most teams used the same monthly ask for every donor, ignoring capacity, age, or financial stability. Research from Stanford Social Innovation Review (2023), Classy (2024), and AFP (2024) confirms that uniform asks increase early cancellations and reduce long-term donor value.
Naroa’s analysis revealed a strong correlation between age-linked financial consistency and donation longevity. Using behavioral patterns, demographic trends, and realistic affordability, she built a model that assigns donors to sustainability tiers—ensuring ethical, capacity-aligned contributions.
Impact:
- Retention increased from 66.9% to 93.5% across several markets.
- Leadership reported the strongest sustainability metrics in their organizations’ history.
- The model became a benchmark training tool for recurring donor programs.
The DECM Model: Human-Centered Communication That Drives Action
While the DSI strengthened donor quality, Naroa identified another major barrier: transactional communication. Drawing from negotiation research (Getting to Yes), behavioral science, and philanthropic psychology, she built the DECM Model, a three-phase system that improves donor engagement and conversion.
The DECM Framework:
- A.I.R. Technique (Acknowledge – Ignore the Objection – Resume): decreases emotional resistance.
- Value Framing: connects donors to impact, based on NextAfter and Behavioral Insights Team studies.
- Action-Oriented Ask: uses behavioral nudges to increase follow-through.
Results:
- KPIs increased 35–45% across multiple U.S. fundraising offices.
- Conversations became more consistent, mission-aligned, and psychologically informed.
- Teams adopted a more professional, donor-centered communication standard.
A Combined Transformation
Together, the DSI and DECM Models address two of the sector’s most persistent challenges:
- Who donors are (sustainability + capacity)
- How fundraisers communicate (behavioral alignment + clarity)
Their integration has led to higher donor lifetime value, more predictable revenue, stronger team performance, and fundraising practices rooted in ethics, respect, and evidence—not guesswork.
As nonprofits continue navigating economic uncertainty and shifting donor expectations, Naroa Mena’s DSI and DECM Models offer a modern, research-aligned blueprint for achieving sustainable growth and meaningful social impact.
