Why make a giving pledge when you could just donate?

Abstract

There are many impactful ways people can help charities, such as donating money. Some believe, however, that taking a public giving pledge can be more beneficial than making a private donation. Public giving pledges, they argue, can have a greater positive impact by increasing the amount and effectiveness of donations, which happens because (1) making a public pledge makes it more likely for the donor to stick to their donation goals, (2) forming a community with other pledgers can motivate continued giving, and (3) public pledges can shift cultural norms around charitable giving, thereby encouraging more people to make a habit of it. – AI-generated abstract