The Truth About High-Performing Major Gift Officers

CDOs are always looking for ways to monitor, evaluate, and improve MGO performance, but the absence of industry benchmarks makes this task challenging. To meet the growing demand for industry-wide MGO performance data, our Philanthropy Leadership Council experts asked 132 major gift officers from 40 institutions to tell us about their activities and performance. This […]

How charities can connect with HNWI donors

The trend of donating has decreased over time, putting pressure on charities to look for new sources of funding. CAF’s 2019 Giving Report noted that 57% of those surveyed donated in the period; down from 60% in 2017 and 61% in 2016. Understanding these trends, charity digital leaders are revamping digital fundraising strategies by going […]

Companies House: a treasure trove of info on UK companies

In the UK, for all the challenges we face, including (and because of) a culture where it’s still seen by many as crass or taboo to discuss money even in the context of giving it away to a worthy cause, the prospect research community has one resource that our counterparts elsewhere can only dream of: […]

Rethinking the Future of Donor Visits

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a “new normal” throughout the nonprofit sector, as it has for many other sectors. Frontline fundraisers in particular spend many hours traveling and meeting face-to-face with donors. The recent transition to remote learning and working has prompted many fundraising offices to pivot and learn how to conduct business by way […]

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 […]