major donors
Key players in the societies of today and tomorrow, philanthropists face ever changing challenges. Today even longstanding donors are using new resources and new methods. The current challenges are:
- Donors are quite prepared to invest in specialised advice throughout the entire process of their giving provided that the advice brings added value and increases the effectiveness of their giving.
- Donors think that there is a shortage of such advice, particularly in the initial stages of giving (when defining the donor's profile and identifying the organisations to support) and in the follow up phase for evaluating the evolution of the projects or organisations supported. They often say that they would like to be able to benefit from this kind of advice.
- The large majority of donors state that they do not have any methodology and that their engagement is not strategic. They believe that a more adequate methodology could help them to identify organisations closest to their personal objectives and bring tangible results at the same time.
- There has been a marked increase in requests for advice on evaluating the performance and progress of the organisations being supported. Donors also say they would like to see new forms of follow up being developed to prevent overloading the management of the organisations receiving support.
- More and more donors would like to have frameworks in which they can exchange their ideas and experiences. A large number of networks are being formed.
Reading
- Philanthropy amongst ultra high net worth individuals and family offices in Europe: The United Kingdom, Switzerland and Germany,
study produced by Scorpio Partnership for NPC, wise and the Bertelsmann Foundation, London, September 2007.
«it is more difficult to give money away intelligently that it is to earn it in the first place»
