1. THE
FORGOTTEN
MAN
GOOD SCOUT GROUP March 2015

2. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 2
HAVE
CHARITABLE
CAUSES
FORGOTTEN
ABOUT MEN?

3. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
At Good Scout, we’ve been creating cause
marketing promotions, corporate alliance
campaigns and CSR strategies for decades.
In recent years, we’ve noticed an industry-wide
shift in focus towards women as the target
audience for cause efforts.
We understand that women make the majority
of household purchasing decisions, and that
that women are more likely than men to
support causes. It’s also true that women
engage more readily in recommending and
sharing causes on their social networks.
But as strong as the response from women
can be, over-targeting women causes us to fail
to include men. As an industry we need to ask
not if men will engage with causes but how we
should work to motivate them.
A handful of studies over the past five years
have documented the difference between
men and women when it comes to their
WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDRAISING
AND CAUSE ENGAGEMENT—ARE
MEN AND WOMEN REALLY CREATED
EQUAL? AS AN INDUSTRY, HAVE WE
SIMPLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT MEN?
donation and volunteer activity. But these
have neglected to address the motivation and
preferences behind a man’s support of a cause.
Good Scout’s “Forgotten Man” study, driven by
consumer research, digs into the male psyche
behind their philanthropic decisions. The
results illustrate that men are not only giving:
they are volunteering, engaging and activating.
Just not in the ways you might think.

4. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 4
METHODOLOGY
Good Scout conducted an online survey to
1513 male respondents across the United
States in October 2014. Male respondents
were of varying age, gender, ethnicity and
social status. The survey was conducted
among a random sample of the online
population ages 18 and older. The margin of
error associated with the total sample is 2.5%
at a 95% level of confidence.
The online survey was conducted for the
purposes of capturing men’s preferences,
actions and motivations around engaging
with a cause or charitable organization.
GOOD SCOUT CONDUCTED AN
ONLINE SURVEY TO 1,513 MALE
RESPONDENTS ACROSS THE
UNITED STATES IN OCTOBER 2014

5. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 5
44% - Less than $25 each month
17% - $25-$100 each month
9% - $101 - $1,000 each month
3% - More than $1,000 each month
27% - Do not give money to charity
MONETARY
CONTRIBUTION
OF MEN DONATE MONEY
TO CHARITY
THE MAJORITY (44%)
GIVE LESS THAN $25
PER MONTH
(OR $300 ANNUALLY)
ONLY 9%
GIVE MORE THAN $100
PER MONTH
(OR $1,200 ANNUALLY)
73%

6. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 6
49% - Less than 5 hours each month
14% - 6-10 hours each month
5% - 11-30 hours each month
3% - More than 30 hours each month
29% - I don’t currently volunteer for charities
OF MEN VOLUNTEER FOR
CHARITABLE CAUSES
THE MAJORITY (49%)
DONATE LESS THAN 5
HOURS PER MONTH (OR
60 HOURS ANNUALLY)
ONLY 8%
VOLUNTEERED MORE
THAN 10 HOURS PER
MONTH (OR 132 HOURS
ANNUALLY)
71%
VOLUNTEERING

7. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 7
29% - Donating clothing or other goods
24% - Volunteering my time
13% - Annual monetary donations
11% - Purchasing products that support
charitable causes
10% - Participating in activity events
(Run, Walk, Ride)
9% - Donating at retail checkout
3% - Other
11% OF MEN PREFER TO
PURCHASE PRODUCTS
THAT SUPPORT
CHARITABLE CAUSES
9% OF MEN PREFER TO
DONATE AT RETAIL
CHECKOUT
OF MEN (53%) PREFER
TO SUPPORT CHARITABLE
CAUSES THROUGH NON-
MONETARY METHODS.
OVER HALF
PREFERRED METHOD
OF SUPPORT

8. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 8
33% - Word-of-Mouth from a friend
24% - Word-of-Mouth from a family member
15% - Advertising
15% - Mail
12% - Email
2% - Phone Call
SOLICITATION
PREFERENCE
OF MEN PREFER TO BE SOLICITED BY A CHARITY
THROUGH WORD-OF-MOUTH FROM A FRIEND OR
FAMILY MEMBER
MAIL AND ADVERTISING
SOLICITATIONS TIE FOR
THE #2 PREFERRED
METHOD OF CHARITABLE
SOLICITATION
MEN STRONGLY DISLIKE
BEING SOLICITED BY A
CHARITY VIA PHONE
57%

9. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 9
27.9% - Children/Youth
19.7% - Humanitarian & Disaster Relief
12.2% - Social Services
9.9% - Arts & Education
6.5% - Advocacy
6% - Other*
*Multiple choice options were available
MEN RANK
HUMANITARIAN &
DISASTER RELIEF AS
#2, AND HEALTH AS
#3 CAUSES THEY DO/
WOULD SUPPORT.
(52%) OF MEN
CURRENTLY OR WOULD
SUPPORT CHILDREN/
YOUTH CAUSES
OVER HALF
POPULAR CAUSES

10. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 10
36% - Personal connection to the cause
33% - Aware of needed support
16% - Family member or friend asked you
5% - Good advertising
3% - An employer asked you
3% - My favorite celebrity/sports figure
supports the cause
4% - Other
THEY ARE ALSO
HIGHLY MOTIVATED TO
SUPPORT A CHARITY
BECAUSE THEY ARE
AWARE OF THE NEEDED
SUPPORT (33%).
MEN ARE MOSTLY
MOTIVATED TO
SUPPORT A CHARITY
BECAUSE THEY
HAVE A PERSONAL
CONNECTION TO THE
CAUSE (36%)
MOTIVATION

11. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 11
OF MEN
HAVE NEVER
SHARED THEIR
CHARITABLE
SUPPORT
WITH FAMILY
AND FRIENDS
VIA SOCIAL
MEDIA
SOCIAL MEDIA SHARING
CHARITABLE
PROMOTION
71%29%HAVE SHARED

12. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 12
GENERATIONAL
SEGMENTATION
MILLENNIALS
(Ages 18-34)
GENERATION X
(Ages 35-54)
BOOMERS
(Ages 55-79)
PREFERRED CAUSES:
1. Children/Youth
2. Advocacy
3. Social Services
1. Children/Youth
2. Humanitarian & Disaster Relief
3. Arts & Education
1. Children/Youth
2. Other – Church
3. Health & Humanitarian/
Disaster Relief (tied)

13. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 13
GENERATIONAL
SEGMENTATION
DONATING VOLUNTEERING
SOLICITATION ENGAGEMENT
MOTIVATION COMMUNICATION
• Generation X are the most active donors (75%)
• Boomers give more per person, per month to charity (32% give over
$25 per month)
• Generation X are the most active volunteers (74%)
• Boomers volunteer more hours per person, per month to charity (24%
volunteer over 5 hours per month)
• Millennials wants to hear from Friends & Family about a charity
the most (61%)
• Generation X and Boomers rate Advertising and Mail as their #2
solicitation preferences
• Millennials prefer to give through non-monetary means the most (55%)
• Generation X and Boomers are more likely to purchase products tied
to a cause
• Millennials are most likely to participate in charitable events
• Millennials are motivated to support a charity because of a personal
connection the most (42%)
• Boomers rank their awareness of the need as their #1 motivating
factor in supporting a charity
• All age groups have similar behaviors when communicating their
charitable support (with 30% sharing their support with friends and
family through social media)

14. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 14
INSIGHTS
MORE MEN. MORE MONEY.
With men giving less amounts of money to charity in recent years
and focusing more on non-monetary support, we are left wondering
how to turn the tide. The answers lie in the data: leverage peer commu-
nication and personalize the solicitation. Peer-to-peer communication
has become increasingly popular with the influx of social media activity,
and necessary for marketers and fundraisers as a must-have communi-
cations tactic.
As an audience segment, men are no exception. With a slight advantage
to their friends over family members, men prefer to be solicited by
a charity through peer communication.
While this may be the first time men have been able to vocalize this
preference, the rise of men-focused online communities like theCHIVE
and fundraising initiatives like Movember support this preference
and thrive on Peer-to-Peer connectivity.
PEER V. PRESSURE
Men tend to not share their charitable support with their friends
and family. This is not surprising considering men’s social media usage
in general.
While 72% of male internet users use social networking sites, they use
it differently than women4. Women tend to communicate, share and
connect with others via social media. Men use social media to conduct
research, read the news or watch daily videos. They initiate in-person
meetings through social media, and certainly do not proactively share
information in this way.
Considering how men currently use social media, other forms of
communication may be more ripe for peer communication with men.
Tactics like SMS communication, networking events and embedded
video could be infused to establish connections. Incentivizing men
to share their support with user-friendly social share tools, or gifting
experiences has proven successful with this gender. Challenge their
natural competitive spirit, but do it through their friends and family
and not through peer pressure tactics.

15. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 15
INSIGHTS
COMBAT CONSUMER
INDIFFERENCE
As consumers, men do not claim the purchase of charitable products
as a preferred method of support. While not their least favorite method,
their indifference is convincing. However, socially conscious brands like
Toms and Warby Parker have cracked the code on male consumerism
of products that do good. These brands demonstrate clear community
impact with every purchase as part of their business strategy. While their
brand aesthetic appeals to younger generations, the buy one, give one
model has attracted men in a significant way.
The other common denominator with standout social good brands is
personalization. Upon your purchase of Toms shoes, for example, you
receive a vivid image and personal thank you note for also giving a pair
of shoes to a child in need. Easy communication offers an immediate
personal connection to the cause, which can then be shared with others.
Our research shows that this in turn is a top motivator for men
in supporting a cause.
TANGIBLE FREQUENCY
Men are encouraged to support a cause when they are aware there
is a need. Communication about this need and the impact of their
support should not stop at notification. Providing ongoing campaign
or program updates with reasonable frequency could be key to keeping
men engaged with your cause. Communication could route through
friends and family, but certain generations of men also seem open
to more traditional forms of advertising and direct mail.
Demonstrating tangible impact post-action provides immediate
gratification that is welcomed by men. The sense of accomplishment
and goodwill is directly attached to their action and remains top
of mind. This can lead to heightened constituent loyalty, and greater
engagement frequency. Whether it is buy one, give one or donate $1
and give 10 meals to the hungry, tangible equations are attracting men
(and women) to causes in a big way.

16. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 16
INSIGHTS
THE VOLUNTEER IS KING
The amount of men volunteering for charity has skyrocketed over the
last couple of years - increasing by nearly 70% when compared to other
industry volunteer reports3. Yet, the amount of time in which men are
engaged with charity on an annual basis has declined - by nearly 30%3
.
Heightened volunteer rates prove that men like to get involved and that
men are passionate about giving back to their community. It’s up to the
nonprofit to entice and retain them.
Creating active volunteer and leadership opportunities with your
nonprofit or cause is vital. Since men are mostly motivated to support
a charity because they have a personal connection to the cause (36%),
make volunteer opportunities personal and the donations will follow.
THE FAMILY MAN
Health and Human Services typically rank high with both men and
women as a cause2. However, in this study, men rank Children/Youth
as the number one cause they either do or would support, regardless of
age segmentation. This suggests the family dynamic may play an even
larger role in motivating and activating men at every age to engage
with causes.
Perhaps there is a general opportunity as a sector to look at how we
are creating events, defining our impact, messaging through marketing
and aligning with companies. Are we creating family-friendly events
and engagement opportunities? Have we captured stories about
“Dad” and the impact of your cause on his life and family? Have we
reached out to male-oriented products and companies, or have shown
how cause marketing can positively affect his family? Infusing family
in smart and strategic ways to motivate men to engage with a cause
could just move the needle for your mission.

17. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 17
SOURCES
1. American Psychology Association
2. Bidding for Good 2012 Gender Study
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013
4. Pew Research Social Media 2014
5. Network for Good
6. National Philanthropic Trust
7. Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University’s 2012 Charity Gender Study

18. THE FORGOTTEN MAN 18
GOOD SCOUT
ABOUT GOOD SCOUT
Good Scout is a social good consultancy that helps brands take smart,
impactful, and sustainable leaps in how they do a greater good.
With offices in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Austin, Good Scout
harnesses the power of award-winning marketers who have developed
informed, innovative strategies for top-tier causes and corporate brands
including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, The American Heart
Association, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, Big Brothers Big
Sisters of America, 3M, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Nationwide Insurance and more.
Using our proprietary Cause Innovation tools, sessions and processes,
Good Scout ideates and fashions cause platform campaigns, innovative
corporate alliance promotions and social responsibility brand-building
strategies that propel, ignite and maximize. Ready to take on cause like
never before? Good. Let’s Get Going.
GOOD SCOUT INSIGHTS
Every nonprofit organization has a story to tell. We fight cancer,
we feed the hungry, we shelter the homeless, we offer mentoring,
we provide basic human services for children and families around
the globe. And while those stories are deeply meaningful, the impact
of big data is changing the way we tell those stories forever. Words
and stories have evolved into words and stories...and numbers.
No longer can a nonprofit talk about its mission in intangible, lofty
terms. From securing corporate partners to engaging new donors,
today’s nonprofits have to delve deep into organizational data
and marketplace trends to provide the outcomes that define impact,
show relevance and differentiate your nonprofit brand and cause from
all the others.
That’s why Good Scout created our Insights Division.
Because you don’t just need a story...you need a smarter story.
www.goodscoutgroup.com
@GoodScoutGroup For questions or interest in Good Scout Insights
and consulting, contact:
Brittany Hill - Vice President, Research & Insights
brittany@goodscoutgroup.com
@BrittanyHHill

19. GOOD SCOUT GROUP March 2015