Russell James & unlocking the secrets of Socratic fundraising

This week of Givers, Doers, & Thinkers, Jeremy sits down with Dr. Russell James to unveil why donors give.  

Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® is a professor of the CH Foundation Chair of Personal Financial Planning and Charitable Giving Program Director at Texas Tech University’s School of Financial Planning. Before joining Texas Tech University, Dr. James was the Director of Planned Giving for Central Christian College in Moberly, Missouri, and later served as president of the college. His research has been quoted numerous times by various news outlets, including The Economist, The New York Times, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and his financial neuroimaging research was profiled in The Wall Street Journal’s Smart Money Magazine. He has authored several books, including The Storytelling Fundraiser, The Socratic Fundraiser, Inside the Mind of the Bequest Donor, and Visual Planned Giving.

During this episode, Jeremy and Dr. James explore donor identity and what leads to donor retention and meaningful donor engagement. Dr. James highlights the importance of a donor’s backstory—appreciating the “why” behind a gift. He shares his extensive research around legacy giving and how to steer away from its sometimes negative associations. They also discuss Socratic fundraising, the psychology of transformational donations, how scientific research ought to inform fundraising, and what the Bible might have to tell us about fundraising. 

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