Category Archives: Donor behaviour & giving stats

Easy ways for philanthropic donors to see if they’re doing well

Posted on February 26, 2014 by

This article was first  published by the Social Impact Analysts Association. Some skiers are better than others. Some singers are better than others. The same for teaching, nursing and curling. So it seems reasonable to suppose that some people are … Continue reading →

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Philanthropy in transition

Posted on February 23, 2014 by

Caroline Fiennes was one of 11 leaders interviewed by The Guardian for the Philanthropy in Transition series.  A new generation of donors wants impact and engagement Out of the dot.com boom came a new breed of donors for whom good … Continue reading →

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Shameful story of Rockefeller and Einstein

Posted on October 24, 2013 by

This was first published by the Huffington Post. 100 years old this year, The Rockefeller Foundation likes to tell the tale of its founders’ responsiveness and foresight: ‘When a young Albert Einstein sent a request for $500 to John D. Rockefeller’s top … Continue reading →

Posted in Analysing giving, Donor behaviour & giving stats | 2 Comments

Why Fewer Is More in Charitable Giving

Posted on December 7, 2012 by

This article was first published by Freakonomics and is co-authored with Phil Buchanan As any 10-year-old can tell you, multiplication is commutative: 2 x $70 is the same as 70 x $2. But not in charitable giving, it turns out. Making … Continue reading →

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Faster, higher, stronger: Olympic lessons for philanthropy

Posted on July 30, 2012 by

This article first appeared in Alliance Magazine. Coming from ancient Greece, even the word ‘philanthropy’ hints at similarities with the Olympic Games. And there is much which philanthropists, donors, charities and those of us who support and guide them can … Continue reading →

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Who’s not applying themselves? Donors need to know

Posted on March 10, 2012 by

Writing and publishing a book which should improve charitable giving I figured made me a social entrepreneur. I needed money – all that editing and design doesn’t come cheap – so I approached UnLtd, the fund for social entrepreneurs set … Continue reading →

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Kate Middleton’s charities: a curious but quite good set for a beginner

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

The Duchess Formerly Known as Kate Middleton announced today her first four charity affiliations. It’s a quirky set. If she’s clever, Kate (if we’re still allowed to call her that) can add a load more value to them. The overriding precept of … Continue reading →

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How should advice on charitable giving be priced?

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

Answer: In a way that aligns the advisor’s incentives with those of the beneficiary. But which way does that? Along with many others, I’m often asked to advise donors about finding good charities to support and/or strategies to make their … Continue reading →

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Who’s the most generous nation on Earth?

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

It’s not the US! According to The Economist, the rankings contain a few surprises: Australia               57%   New Zealand        57% Canada                  56% … Continue reading →

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Comparing giving in the US and in the UK is a total red herring

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

If I had a pound for every time I’d heard people try to compare giving in the US and in the UK, I’d have more pounds than is given in both together. It’s a rubbish comparison. Here’s why. First, they … Continue reading →

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