ABSTRACT
In most marketing transactions, a buyer pays a price to a seller for certain goods. Public goods, those marketed by government agencies, are paid for primarily by taxation. However, some 5 percent of the American economy, the nonprofit sector, is financed by voluntary contributions. People pay these resources whether or not they consume what they are paying for, and they do so by choice, not by necessity. These resources are amassed largely through the efforts of fund-raising planners. Fund-raising is one special type of social marketing, one of the most vital and yet one that is too often seen in a negative light. Few individuals relish the prospect of soliciting contributions. At the giving end, many are uncertain whether and how much to give, and how to select the most deserving charities. Tax deductibility is another important issue.
