Event‐Related Attributes Affecting Donation Intention of Special Event Attendees

Abstract

The practice of increasing donations through special events has significant financial implications for charitable organizations. However, little is known about how such events can be organized to increase individuals’ donation intention beyond their event attendance. In this case study, a post‐event survey was conducted with attendees of a professional golf tournament operating as a special event to identify event‐related attributes that affected their intention to donate to the cause supported by the event. The results indicate that attendees’ donation intention was positively associated with their event satisfaction, perceived contributions of the event to the cause, and sense of camaraderie at the event. Furthermore, the effects of event satisfaction and camaraderie were stronger for attendees whose primary motivation for attending the event was unrelated to cause support. These results support hypotheses drawn from social exchange theory and provide implications for charitable organizations engaging in special events.