No Gifts, No Strings: How a Good Cause Stands on Its Own
通过实地实验发现，在招募短期志愿者时，礼物交换和登门槛策略并不比直接宣传使命更有效，表明公益使命本身比复杂激励更重要。
Volunteers are vital for nonprofit organizations, yet recruiting them remains a challenge. This study evaluates two common strategies – Gift-Exchange and the Foot-in-the-Door (FITD) technique – in recruiting episodic volunteers. In a field experiment with over 500 participants, we tested whether framing incentives as gifts or requests influences engagement. Contrary to expectations, neither strategy outperformed the control group, with engagement rates remaining consistently high (16–18%). The results underscore the strength of a compelling mission, suggesting that costly incentives add little value. For NPOs, mission appeal may be more effective than elaborate framing strategies.