Tag Archives: donor

The giving tax: what do we actually know?

In the current row about charities and tax, it’s worth being clear about what is known and what isn’t. Here’s the relevant evidence we’ve encountered. Income Total income of UK charities £37bn Source:NCVO Almanac Income of UK charities from individuals … Continue reading

Posted in Tax and governance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How can innovative organisations produce evidence of their impact?

This article was first published by the Society of Impact Assessment Analysts ‘If something isn’t working, do something else’, goes the saying. Though it sounds obvious, we often don’t follow this advice. Many of the social and environmental issues we’ve … Continue reading

Posted in Impact & evaluation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What the gov’t should do about the charity tax row

Part 1: Try to regain some credibility in this debate 1. Make HMRC release the relevant donor data Whatever the rights & wrongs in the debate, sentiment is inflamed by the fact that the charity sector can’t even size the … Continue reading

Posted in Tax and governance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why I don’t back the Give It Back George campaign

Charities are furious about the government’s proposal to give them less money via the tax system. Well, they would be, wouldn’t they? Hence they’re campaigning frantically to block the proposal. But people interested in effectiveness and impact – and who … Continue reading

Posted in Tax and governance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The government’s raid on giving makes no sense

The UK government recently announced that it would cap tax relief on charitable giving. The surprise move has met a furious response, and makes no sense whichever way it’s intended. It’s a shame, because the charitable world has plenty of … Continue reading

Posted in Tax and governance, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Understanding impact. What would have happened anyway?

Article first published by the Society of Impact Assessment Analysts In understanding a charity’s impact, we seek to identify the difference which the charity has made in the world. That is, what has happened which would not otherwise have happened. … Continue reading

Posted in Impact & evaluation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A grand unified theory of effective giving starts with beneficiaries

This article first appeared in Alliance Magazine. ‘What do you think of our team?’ asked the chairman of a new foundation. I hesitated, fearing he would dislike my answer. The trustees were experts in only two of their three focus … Continue reading

Posted in Effective giving | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Three golden rules of effective charitable giving

This article first appeared in The Ecologist. Many of us support charities which work on some of the biggest environmental issues of our time. But which are the good ones, and how can we really help? Caroline Fiennes, author of … Continue reading

Posted in Effective giving | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Improving your fundraising hit-rate

This article first appeared on The Guardian’s Voluntary Sector Network.  Do you play the National Lottery? Why ever not, given that you could win a few million pounds which I dare say you’d find pretty handy? Probably because the odds … Continue reading

Posted in Fundraising | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

WaterAid: what are you thinking of?

Millions of Thames Water customers have this week received leaflets from WaterAid containing this: WaterAid should know better. This graph perpetuates the dangerous lie that charities’ spending on governance and fundraising is somehow separate from ‘work on charitable objectives’. They’re not: … Continue reading

Posted in Admin costs, Great charities | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments