‘The research activity that allows fundraisers to understand and prepare before approaching or meeting a potential donor has come under recent scrutiny’ says Dr Beth Breeze in a precis of this report. It was commissioned by the UK Institute of Fundraising to help shed light on why fundraisers need to do research and to highlight what can be achieved when this is done successfully. 

This report is therefore particularly important in such a febrile atmosphere. As one person surveyed said: ‘Without fundraising research there would be no major gift programmes anywhere’. As Dr Breeze explores, the crucial aspect is getting this research right. She notes that ‘[a study of] 82 wealthy donors found that two-thirds (65 per cent) believed that a ‘more professional approach by those seeking funds’ was a significant factor in the development of philanthropy in the UK‘.

Dr Breeze shows that ‘good, ethical and legally compliant research is not a matter for concern but for celebration. It is vital for charities, their donors and, most importantly, their beneficiaries’. We at SOFII are delighted to be able to share her crucial findings with our readers.

David Gold, CEO of recruitment consultancy Prospectus, sums this up well in his foreword:

‘Research undertaken by charities should be seen…as giving individuals the opportunity to support and invest in great causes, organisations and projects that will be aligned to (the donor’s) needs. Fundraisers and donors are not adversaries, we are partners in trying to achieve good things together’.