1. Leadership, Governance and Giving

2. The following material was prepared for the AFP Research Council Think Tank held October 7-8, The event was co-sponsored by the Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership Center at Rollins College. The Research Council is indebted to a generous grant from the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation to the AFP Foundation that made it possible to convene nationally recognized presenters for the 2008 AFP Think Tank.

3. Individual Giving: Just What Have We Achieved ?
Dr. Adrian Sargeant
Robert F. Hartsook Professor of Fundraising
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis

4. 2008 Charitable Giving $307.65 billion
Corporations $ %
Foundations $ %
Individuals $ %
Bequests $ %

5. Public Trust and Confidence in the Sector is Miserably Low
Only 16% of Americans have a great deal of confidence in nonprofits
34% have not much or none at all!
In % of Americans said nonprofits were ‘very good’ at helping people – now only 25%
70% say we waste money – up 10 percentage points in 5 years

6. Public Trust and Confidence

7. On Judgment . . .
Roughly 40% of U.S. nonprofits claim zero costs of fundraising—that “100% of your gift goes to those who need it”
In other reports, 6% of nonprofits indicate no direct costs associated with fundraising and 59% indicate no overhead costs associated with fundraising

8. “But under a different accounting convention . . .”

9. A Model Worth Considering
The CharityFacts website ( provides information on fundraising and philanthropy in Great Britain for members of the media, researchers and the general public

11. Another Good Idea The ImpACT Coalition
A group of charities that promote better public understanding of how charities work
Also promote the benefits nonprofits bring to society by improving accountability, clarity and transparency (ImpACT)
NPOs in the group speak with one voice on a specific set of messages

12. Messages from the ImpACT Coalition

13. Levels of donor attrition are terrible and getting worse …

15. The donor pool is contracting steadily . . .

17. Participation in bequest giving is unchanged in a century of our best efforts . . .
“90% of donor mortality will simply result in lost current giving” as a result of current donors having made no plans for charitable bequests . . .
—James (2008)

18. Online giving still accounts for only around 2% of individual giving

19. So what can we do to stimulate giving?

20. Wouldn’t it be good if every fundraiser knew . . .
One or two models of giving behavior
The underpinning psychology of giving? Philanthropic psychology?
What drives bequest giving? How people make decisions about the future—and what language is most effective?

21. Wouldn’t it be good if every fundraiser knew . . .
What drives public trust in the sector—and in organizations—and why this matters
The three things that drive donor loyalty—and why this matters
The characteristics of successful nonprofit websites—and the links between these characteristics and facts of performance

22. So, for the Profession . . .
Set real performance standards—aspirational standards
Create a formal qualification framework
Pursue education, NOT just credentialing
Value research and integrate it into the books we write and our fundraising practice
Establish ethical standards with teeth
Implement public information and education
Coordinate action

23. Questions and Comments
Please send any questions or comments about this presentation to . . .
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Research Council
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Arlington, VA 22203
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