Abstract. ONUS has the mission to continually develop the world's safety net. To help achieve this, this strategy paper aims to gather research on the best practices to make donating engaging and effortless. This paper explores the immense potential of combining technology and psychology to improve the donation process. It examines how advances in technology and psychological research can be applied to design an effective online donation platform that takes into account the principles of behavioural psychology, such as nudging, social proof, scarcity, commitment, loss aversion, emotions, and competition, can encourage donors to give more frequently and in larger amounts. The paper also discusses the importance of building trust through features promoting transparency, recognition and rewards, and the potential of using artificial intelligence to create a more immersive and personalised experience for donors. The paper concludes with recommendations that leverage the findings of this study to create an effective mobile application.




1.1	Introduction
Donating to charitable causes has been a ubiquitous tradition across cultures, religions and communities, but the process of making a donation can often be perceived as a side-thought, unengaging, and even burdensome (Dey, D., & Bose, I., 2017). As a result, many people who might otherwise want to contribute to causes they believe in often fail to do so. Fortunately, advancements in technology, artificial intelligence, and behavioural psychology offer the opportunity to make donating more engaging and effortless (Mitra, T., & Gilbert, E., 2014). 

This paper explores the pain points that deter people from donating and proposes the integration of AI and technology, gamification, and behavioural psychology to make the process more accessible, enjoyable, and effective. By creating a platform that brings these approaches together, we can revolutionise the way people donate to charities and, ultimately, create a well-balanced system that can be replicated.

1.2	Pain Points of Donating
Lack of Trust in Charitable Donations
One of the major reasons why individuals are reluctant to donate to charity is a lack of trust. People want to know where their money is going and to see a tangible impact of their contributions. According to a study conducted by Cone Communications, 91% of consumers want to see transparency in charitable organisations, with 87% wanting to know how their donations are making an impact (Cone Communications, 2015). Charitable organisations must provide transparency and accountability to build trust and encourage donations.

Emotional Toll
The exposure to negative content, such as images and stories of people in need, can lead to an emotional toll on individuals. Continuous exposure to negative content may temporarily decrease the quality of life of individuals (Holman, E. A., & Silver, R. C., 2015). This suggests that the focus on charitable efforts may have a negative impact, leading to reluctance to donate.

Financial Constraints
Financial constraints are another reason why individuals may be reluctant to donate to charity (Bekkers, R., & Wiepking, P., 2011). Fluctuations in the economy can lead to financial instability, making it challenging for individuals to donate money. This means that we are missing out on large portions of society that want to contribute, but cannot afford to. Charitable organisations must provide alternative ways for individuals to contribute, such as volunteering time, donating goods or converting attention into capital.

Inconvenient Donation Process
The donation process can be inconvenient, leading to friction in the donation process (Sargeant, A., & Lee, S., 2002). People are usually approached or marketed, leading to further reluctance to donate. There is no single uniform entity that has the reputation of a general social enterprise, similar to how Amazon is synonymous with online shopping or Facebook with social networking. Individuals typically donate to charities they are familiar with (Alter, A. L., & Oppenheimer, D. M., 2014).


2.1	Integration of Technology and AI
We can capitalise the use of AI by gathering data and analysing donation behaviours. The integration of technology and AI in analysing donation behaviours has the potential to provide several benefits. One such benefit is the ability to collect more data. Mobile devices are now capable of collecting a vast amount of data on users, including their location, browsing history, and search queries. This data can be used to better understand donor behaviour and tailor outreach efforts to specific individuals. Additionally, AI can help to identify patterns in this data that humans may not be able to detect on their own.

Another potential benefit of this integration is the ability to use predictive analytics to identify potential donors. By analysing data on existing donors and their behaviour, AI algorithms can identify characteristics that are common among donors and use this information to predict who is most likely to donate in the future. This can help charities and nonprofits to better target their outreach efforts and maximise their impact.

2.2 Gamification:

Gamification is a powerful tool that can be used to increase engagement, incentivise competition, and celebrate donations (Deterding et al., 2011). By incorporating elements such as personalisation, leaderboards, and a points system, charities and nonprofits can create a sense of community and encourage donors to become more involved in the cause (Werbach & Hunter, 2012). The use of leaderboards and a points system can also provide a sense of achievement and incentivise donors to continue to support the cause (Hamari et al., 2014).

In addition, gamification can help charities and nonprofits to celebrate donations and show their appreciation for donors. This can be done through features such as badges or other digital rewards, which can help to create a sense of accomplishment and recognition (Sailer et al., 2017).


3.	Behavioural Psychological Principles
The principles of behavioural psychology, such as nudging, social proof, scarcity, commitment, loss aversion, emotions, and competition, can be used to encourage donors to give more frequently and in larger amounts (Kogut & Ritov, 2007; Ariely, 2008; Kahneman & Tversky, 1979). For example, by using social proof, charities and nonprofits can highlight the number of people who have already donated, which can create a sense of community and encourage others to join in (Cialdini, 2001).

Similarly, using scarcity can create a sense of urgency and encourage donors to act quickly (Cialdini, 2001). This can be done by highlighting the limited time or resources available to support a cause. Additionally, using positive reinforcement can create a sense of reward and encourage donors to continue giving (Skinner, 1953).

Nudging
Through nudging, we can use subtle cues or prompts to influence behaviour. For example, a mobile app may place a donate button in a prominent location on the screen, making it more likely that users will see it and donate. Similarly, a charity may provide suggested donation amounts, making it easier for donors to decide how much to give.

Social Proof
We can use social proof and validation as people are more likely to follow the actions of others. A charity may highlight the number of people who have already donated, which can create a sense of community and encourage others to join in.

Scarcity
Scarcity can be used to motivate people to act when they perceive that the opportunity to act may not be available in the future. A charity may use scarcity to create a sense of urgency and encourage donors to act quickly. This can be done by highlighting the limited time or resources available to support a cause. Or set time challenges to make it more engaging.

Commitment
Commitment is the idea that people are more likely to follow through on a behaviour when they have made a public commitment to it. A way this can be incorporated into the app is for users to set public challenges that they are working to complete. This can make them more likely to follow through and donate.

Loss Aversion
This is the idea that people are more motivated to avoid losses than to achieve gains. A charity may emphasise the negative consequences of not donating, such as the impact on people in need, which can motivate donors to act. This should be used sparingly, considering the emotional toll of negative stimuli. This theory can be used in losing points within the app, for example if they are inactive for too long.

Emotions
Emotions can be a powerful motivator for behaviour. A charity may use emotional appeals in their messaging, such as highlighting the suffering of people in need or the positive impact of donations, to encourage donors to give. ONUS should actively focus on the positive impact due to the emotional toll of seeing suffering. 
Positive messaging can help to create a sense of hope and optimism, which can be a powerful motivator for action. By highlighting the positive impact of a particular action or behaviour, individuals are more likely to feel a sense of purpose and meaning in their actions, which can lead to increased engagement and participation.

ONUS should aim to build trust and credibility with audiences. By emphasising the positive aspects of a particular issue or cause, organisations can demonstrate their commitment to creating positive change, which can also help to build trust and credibility with stakeholders.

Finally, focusing on positive messaging can help to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment. We can create a sense of shared purpose and community, which can help to bring people together and create a more inclusive and welcoming environment.

Competition
This can be used to encourage donors to give more frequently and in larger amounts. This reinforces creating a leaderboard or other competitive element, highlighting top donors and encouraging others to compete to be on the leaderboard. Due to different biases and tribes, ONUS could potentially create different types of leaderboards, for example filtered by countries, religion or gender. This transparency may encourage users to donate, in order to support the reputation of their tribe. 


4.	A Platform to Bring This All Together
Using the findings of this paper, a suggestion for ONUS is to create a mobile app that could use AI algorithms to analyse data on user behaviour and predict who is most likely to donate in the future. It could also use data on user preferences to tailor outreach efforts to specific individuals. The app could incorporate elements of gamification, such as personalisation, leaderboards, and a points system, to create a sense of community and encourage donors to become more involved in the cause. Using principles of behavioural psychology, such as nudging, social proof, scarcity, commitment, loss aversion, emotions, and competition, to encourage donors to give more frequently and in larger amounts. 

We must also address the pain points using transparency and accountability by showing users where their money is going and how it is making an impact. It could also allow users to track the progress of their donations and receive updates on the charitable causes they support. ONUS must also make the donation process more convenient and accessible by allowing users to donate directly in the app using a simple payment process. It could also provide alternative ways for users to contribute, such as watching ads. The app could be designed to be engaging and personalised, with features such as interactive content, personalised messages, and customised donation options.


5.	Conclusion
This paper will be used as a framework in the development of ONUS Social Enterprise with its aims to revolutionise practises of donating, using tested theories psychology and also the budding future of technology. With the aim of creating an immersive and gratifying experience for users, this paper's insights can potentially benefit other charitable organisations, enabling them to enhance their platforms, prompting a reconsideration of the what, why and how of giving.