Nonprofit organizations rely on contributions to achieve mission-based objectives. While many determinants of contributions have been uncovered (e.g., fundraising budget, organization age, and operational efficiency), little is known about the role that celebrity affiliation plays in generating contributions. Using a sample of more than 500 industry-diverse charities with known celebrity affiliations, we find support for the celebrity-lift hypothesis—that celebrity-affiliated nonprofits are associated with increased contributions. We also find that celebrity affiliation has a substitution effect such that fundraising expenses are lower at celebrity-affiliated organizations.
