Why do some donation forms feel effortless while others cause "donor block"? The answer isn't magic—it’s physics.

In this Deep Dive episode, we explore the neuroscience behind IntelliBooster, the algorithmic engine powering Click & Pledge’s donation forms. We strip away the complex math to explain two revolutionary concepts: Manifolds and Active Inference.

Tune in to discover:

• The "Space of Possibilities": How the algorithm ignores the "infinite" choice of numbers to find the specific behavioral manifold—the comfort zone—for each unique donor.
• Donation Buttons as "Attractors": Why placing the right button in the right spot acts like a gravity well, pulling the donor toward a decision that feels natural.
• Minimizing "Free Energy": How reducing the cognitive load on your donors leads to higher conversion rates and happier supporters.

Join us as we visualize how data transforms into a smooth, frictionless path to giving.

Why do donors abandon the giving process? Often, it’s not a lack of generosity—it’s a battle against physics.

Join us as we bridge the gap between biology, physics, and fundraising technology. We break down C.H. Waddington’s "Epigenetic Landscape"—the idea of a ball rolling down a hill—and explain why most fundraising platforms act as obstacles in that path.

We propose a new model based on the Free Energy Principle: instead of trying to steer the donor (the ball) into a specific channel, we use technology like PayQuickly and pledgeTV to "move the valley" to the donor.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Donor as a Rolling Ball: Understanding momentum and friction in the giving cycle.
• The "Underside" of the Landscape: How AI and software (the ropes and pegs) can terraform the user experience in real-time.
• Superposition: Creating a donation form that exists everywhere simultaneously, eliminating the "click-and-redirect" friction.
• Minimizing "Free Energy": How to align your tech with the donor's subconscious predictions to increase conversion.

Americans spend $500 a year on tips they'd rather not give—$37.80 per month in guilt-induced gratuities. 72% say tipping is expected in more places than five years ago. 50% have felt manipulated by checkout tablet screens. And 30% now tip less out of spite when prompted.

That same guilt-based extraction is now spreading to nonprofit donation pages—and the data is brutal. The American Cornerstone Institute found that asking donors to "cover the fees" triggers a 38.5% drop in conversions and 20.5% less total revenue.

Do the math: on 1,000 donation attempts, you lose 385 donors and roughly $17,000 in revenue trying to capture a 3% fee. Meanwhile, platforms marketing themselves as "free to nonprofits" quietly extract 15%+ from your donors at checkout.

The only clear winners? Payment processors. Every guilt-induced tip increases the transaction size—and their cut.

Science is compression—distilling complexity into truth. When you compress all the research on guilt-based extraction, the data tells one clear story. And it's not the story being advertised.

We offer the "cover the fees" feature. We recommend against using it. Here's why.