We frequently operate on the assumption that all of our choices are made consciously, but is this truly the case? The correct response is "no," which indicates that there is significantly more activity occurring in our minds than we believe there is. Both conscious and unconscious biases have the potential to influence how we think about our donors and how they think about our causes and organizations. It is helpful to have an understanding of exactly what these unconscious biases are and where they originate if one wants to be aware of these prejudices before making the ask.

Funding provided by the Claudia A. Looney Fund for Ethics in Fundraising at the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy.