Why your supporters are wealthier than you expect. Course details.

Five tweets for fundraisers for 3 November 2021

Twitter blue chalks in a tray - photo: Unsplash
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Here are five more tweets selected from the many that cross our screens. The fundraising possibilities of #TwosDay next year, research into tax incentives in the US and how they affect companies donating goods, a stuffed fundraising dog on a station platform, Elon Musk and that tweet about (maybe) donating $6 billion, and the need to question why philanthropy and social justice don’t automatically go hand in hand.

Here’s our latest collection of tweets that we think highlight key developments for fundraisers, plus the occasional one that might make fundraisers smile.

We’re on Twitter at @ukfundraising and @howardlake. Do join us.

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Why your supporters are wealthier than you think... Course by Catherine Miles. Background photo of two sides of a terraced street of houses.

1. The power of two

Did you know that next year features #TwosDay? Matt Smith reckons there must be an opportunity for lots of charities to make something of this striking date. A matched giving campaign perhaps? What do you think?

2. Donated goods and tax incentives

Brian Mittendorf is a nonprofit accounting professor at Ohio State University. His latest research looks at how tax incentives to encourage companies to donate unsold inventory actually affect their donation practices.

3. Memorial to a fundraising dog

If you’re a regular at Slough railway station you’ll no doubt know about Station Jim, the fundraising dog who is honoured with permanent memorial. One for the @fundraisingdogs team.

4. Elon Musk and the World Food Program

Very, very occasionally a public tweet to a billionaire starts a conversation.

Elon Musk responded to a tweet suggesting that 2% or $6 billion of his money could “solve world hunger” by offering to sell Tesla stock to that amount and donate it. But only if the WFP could describe exactly how the donation would achieve that aim – and insisting that the figures be shared transparently and publicly.

There followed a prompt response from David Beasley, Executive Director of the WFP, and brief conversation in which Beasley asked to meet with Musk to discuss in more detail, ideally at a location where Musk could see its work and people in action.

There is no indication as to where the conversation has got to beyond this.

Musk’s approach to philanthropy is different, but not everyone is convinced it is the most effective approach:

5. Educate yourself – and others

Philanthropy and social justice don’t always go hand in hand. Fortunately that is being recognised and some efforts made to tackle that in areas such as the climate crisis.

Mike Zywina at Lime Green Consulting reminds us that major donors can still skew the number and type of beneficiaries of their donations on a large scale.

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