How philanthropy benefits the super-rich

“Philanthropy, it is popularly supposed, transfers money from the rich to the poor. This is not the case.” In the US, which statistics show to be the most philanthropic of nations, barely a fifth of the money donated by big givers goes to the poor. A lot goes to the arts, sports teams and other […]

How much do we really know about why we give to charity?

Charity has become big business, though it’s hard to say how big: there’s little good data. One recent study estimates the British, for example, donate 54p in every £100. That’s three times more than the Germans but three times less than Americans give. This article from the BBC dives into the history of fundraising methods […]

Back of the napkin privately-held company value calculator

On 15th June 2020, I took part in the first PyroTalks NanoConference and presented ResourceRush – a six minute run through resources to help you through the current pandemic. Here is part 4 of the key resources shared. For private companies that aren’t listed on the stock exchange, Helen Brown has come up with a […]

Wealth and COVID-19

On 15th June 2020, I took part in the first PyroTalks NanoConference and presented ResourceRush – a six minute run through resources to help you through the current pandemic. Here is part 3 of the key resources shared. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on wealth across the world. The Wealth Report by […]

Secure more funding – Charity Excellence Framework

On 15th June 2020, I took part in the first PyroTalks NanoConference and presented ResourceRush – a six minute run through resources to help you through the current pandemic. Here is part 2 of the key resources shared. The Charity Excellence Framework is a comprehensive online resource to provide you with the tools to create […]

The role of prospect research in major donor fundraising

As part of an MA in Philanthropic Studies (undertaken at the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent), Nicola Williams completed a study which aimed to identify the role that prospect research plays in major donor fundraising. The study involved a survey, undertaken in 2018, of major donor fundraisers and prospect researchers working in […]

How you can judge a major donor programme by a cup of tea

Mike Bartlett, a high value fundraising consultant, gets to meet a lot of fundraisers. He states: “Over the years I’ve got better at assessing early on whether a major donor programme is likely to be successful. I always kept an open mind and did my upmost to help each charity develop the tools and skills […]

“Waiting for Bono”

In the late 80s hit “Where the streets have no name” by U2, Bono doesn’t start to sing for nearly two minutes… In 2017, the typical song intro is 10 seconds. In this fun blog, Richard Sved discusses the lessons we can learn from music intros when preparing our case for support elevator pitches. https://www.3rdsectormissioncontrol.co.uk/charities-attention-span/

Fundraising Coach Gift Range Calculator

Propper Fundraising is celebrating its first Birthday! As a thank you for visiting, I’m sharing some great FREE fundraising tools with you all week! Irrespective of whether you are calculating gift ranges for an overall target or for an ad hoc campaign, gift pyramid calculators are very useful in estimating the number of gifts, donors […]

The Science Behind Storytelling and How To Use The Pixar Framework

Storytelling permeates nearly every aspect of our society. The human brain is hardwired to respond to the power of storytelling. From curling up with a good book, to taking a trip to the movies, to listening to your friend recount what they did last weekend, human beings love to be enthralled by stories. Throughout history, […]