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Gunnar_Zarncke comments on Matching donation funds and the problem of illusory matching - Less Wrong Discussion

5 Post author: Stefan_Schubert 18 September 2015 08:05PM

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Comment author: Gunnar_Zarncke 18 September 2015 11:14:44PM 0 points [-]

The incentivization scheme is tricky and I'd guess (>70%) that it would work (significant increase in giving).

But - and this is independent of the scheme - I dispute your motivating assumption of illusority

That means that a dollar from a smaller donor doesn't actually cause the matcher to contribute more.

at least in its full generality. The donor could feel that if his own charitable giving isn't suitably matched then it is voided (and presumably invested in some other way). I'd act that way to some degree. I think some many people some need for reciprocation and this is more a question of degree.