Summers are meant to be quiet times in universities but the pace of my work seems to have increased these past weeks. Two big reports are occupying my waking hours: Firstly, the 2010 edition of the Coutts Million Pound Donor report should be our best yet, not least because we have got more – and more substantial – case studies of those who give and receive donations worth £1m or more. Secondly, I’m working on a a study of university fundraising across all 27 members of the European Union. The deadline is the end of October and as my second baby is due in November, that deadline is pretty immovable!
I’m also still busy disseminating the findings from a recently-completed project on ‘How Donors Choose Charities’. The report is available online here and I wrote the briefest of summaries of the findings in a recent edition of Third Sector magazine – trying to condense over a year’s worth of research into a 300 word article is no mean feat.
I’ll be presenting the research in person on the 7th October at the Institute of Fundraising South East conference, which is being held at the Burford Bridge Hotel near Dorking. Further info and bookings can be made by emailing iofsoutheastsecretary@googlemail.com