# What makes fundraisers tick? Research is underway - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/05/27/what-makes-fundraisers-tick-research-is-underway/ - Published: 2022-05-27T12:30:44+01:00 - Author: Howard Lake **What kinds of people are fundraisers? What are they like as individuals and as fundraising professionals? Research to understand this is getting underway.** The Institute of Sustainable Philanthropy’s latest research is trying to understand what drives fundraisers’ motivation at work and thus what either “charges” or “drains” them. It is also interested in how people experience being employed as a fundraiser and specifically what contributes to their overall sense of wellbeing. Professor Adrian Sargeant explains: “We’re drawing on the brand new science of Philanthropic Psychology to look at both who fundraisers are (as a person) and who they are as a fundraising professional”. ## Advertisement The research is supported by **[Philanthropy and Fundraising International](https://www.philanthropyfundraising.eu/)**, and follows on from their major research project in 2014 on what makes [Great Fundraising](https://www.philanthropyfundraising.eu/research), produced by Professor Adrian Sargeant and Professor Jen Shang. ![Logos of Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy and of Philanthropy & Fundraising International](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2022/05/institute-for-sustainable- philanthropy-and-philanthropy-and-fundraising.jpg) ## Take part in the research The research phase is underway and fundraisers in the UK and internationally are invited to participate. Professor Sargeant commented: “It doesn’t matter where you are in the world – we’d love to hear from you.” He estimates that the survey should take up to 15 minutes to complete. All responses“ will be treated as strictly confidential”. If you participate in the survey you can request to receive a copy of the final report via email. ## Two versions of the survey There are two surveys. * The **first** is for people who are [currently employed in a fundraising/development role](https://ifsp.limequery.com/475249?lang=en) in a charity/nonprofit. * The **second** is for people who [have been employed as a fundraiser in a charity/nonprofit in the past ](https://ifsp.limequery.com/991667?lang=en) but who are NOT currently. For enquiries about the survey please contact [ha*****@************************rg.uk](https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/05/27/what-makes-fundraisers-tick-research-is-underway/ha*****@************************rg.uk). * **[The New Fundraisers](https://fundraising.co.uk/books/the-new-fundraisers-who-organises-charitable-giving-in-contemporary-society/) by Beth Breeze (2017)** * **[Meet the fundraiser: Kitty Gardner at Women’s Trust](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/09/13/meet-fundraiser-kitty-gardner-womans-trust/)( 13 September 2017)** * **[Certificate in Philanthropic Psychology launches](https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/10/29/certificate-in-philanthropic-psychology-course-launches/)( 29 October 2019)** ## Comments ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/05/27/what-makes-fundraisers-tick-research-is-underway/#comment-4205 - Published: 2022-05-30T05:59:46+01:00 Other reports and analysis on what makes a fundraiser, how they are recruited and retained, and how these issues affect charities include: UnderDeveloped: A National Study of Challenges Facing Nonprofit Fundraising Jeanne Bell and Marla Cornelius, (San Francisco, CA: CompassPoint nonprofit Services and the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, 2013). [https://www.issuelab.org/resources/14522/14522.pdf](https://www.issuelab.org/resources/14522/14522.pdf) The Chronicle of Philanthropy and AFP (August 2019\) found that 51% of fundraisers who responded said they planned to leave their current nonprofit within two years. And 30% planned to leave fundraising altogether. [http://agitator.thedonorvoice.com/fundraisers-abandon-ship-2/](http://agitator.thedonorvoice.com/fundraisers-abandon-ship-2/) Critical Fundraising Report \#3: USA April 2019 Rogare See page 31: The current and anticipated fundraising talent crisis [https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/8bc141\_1d3dbfef6b424f0f8e26fe08a610c92e.pdf](https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/8bc141_1d3dbfef6b424f0f8e26fe08a610c92e.pdf) ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2022/05/27/what-makes-fundraisers-tick-research-is-underway/#comment-4207 - Published: 2022-05-31T13:03:56+01:00 [https://twitter.com/toastfundraiser/status/1531292397048516609](https://twitter.com/toastfundraiser/status/1531292397048516609)