Deborah_Mueller

 

Sharon_McAndrews

Those of us who come to fundraising from an academic background are keenly aware of the relative lack of large-scale studies of philanthropy. In recent years, the Center for Philanthropy at Indiana University has helped to address this critical need. Their most recent study, co-funded by the fundraising and management firm CCS, examined core altruistic values and philanthropic motivations among a diverse cross-section of 10,000 U.S. households on their giving patterns for the year 2006. This study is particularly welcome, as many previous studies had only examined high-net-worth households or did not specifically examine cross-regional trends in motivation, concentrating instead only on giving levels.

 

Gregory_Duke

Rachel_Link

 

Elizabeth_McHugh

One of the greatest assets that those of us who work in prospect research may have is time, yet managing and balancing it is also one of our biggest challenges. During the previous year, I began to rethink how my work was being reshaped by this economic climate. Every organization is coping with layoffs and/or increased work responsibilities. The effects of this time pressure squeeze are being felt by all of us, from frontline fundraisers who still seek to close on gifts, regardless of dollar amount, to those of us in research coves, who must respond to the quantity of reactive research requests and the need to continually identify new prospects.

 

Bill_Powers

For many people, especially those affected with the “Maybe someday I’ll get around to it” syndrome, John Lennon’s aphorism “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” follows them wherever they go, like an unpaid utility bill or a neglected obligation.

 

Doug_Shanaberger

 

Kate_Fultz_Hollis

Lynn_Lazar