In a previous blog I introduced some exciting new ideas on how to grow philanthropy in the United Kingdom, from the Beacon Collaborative.

In this blog I outline some of my own for how giving might be doubled.

Companionate love is the love that we experience for family, friends or those who are otherwise close to us. It has deep links to wellbeing, and donors also experience a sense of temperature with it, specifically a feeling of warmth. There are many uses for companionate love in fundraising and it is important, but how do we use Companionate Love in fundraising?

Vu Le’s provocative article on donor-centrism has caused heated debate within the sector. But what are the issues with this critique, how do differing definitions cause tension and how does donor wellbeing fit into the argument? Prof. Adrian Sargeant shares his thoughts on Vu’s arguments.

The knives are out for philanthropists. Editorial coverage of their motives, gifts, and impact is increasingly negative, particularly in the UK, but in the USA and elsewhere too. Does it matter? Many worry that it does. Is Philanthropist the identity we should use to define others when they give and how are we fuelling differences in terms of superiority/inferiority by using terms like major donor. This blog by Prof. Adrian Sargeant explores a post-modernist look at philanthropy.

I don’t see donor centricity as the dominant paradigm in fundraising. For that to be true, the majority of organizations in our sector would need to be able to identify donors needs and follow through on their satisfaction, and they do not. The metrics we use to assess our practice are almost exclusively financial and we care little for our supporters and how we make them feel. True donor centricity would require organizations to look to the wellbeing and growth of their supporters. And as a sector, we’re not there yet.

Why do we still use military metaphors in fundraising, and descriptions of donors that we wouldn’t use externally? Is it time to shake up our vocabulary and celebrate the best of everyone?

Since 2012, we have been looking at the characteristics of Great Fundraising organizations - those who have supercharged their fundraising ability and doubled, tripled or quadrupled their fundraising income. What makes them achieve fundraising greatness? Read on to find out more.

In the Spring of 2020, we were commissioned to conduct a survey on the topic of fundraising planning. The goal was to determine the extent to which nonprofits had adopted planning processes and how well supported these were across the organisation.