Many charities still don’t understand the real drivers of their fundraising performance, despite having access to the tools and data they need, according to fundraising consultant Tobin Aldrich.
Writing in a LinkedIn article, Aldrich, a former fundraising director who now leads consultancy Astarita Aldrich & Ward, said that even among the UK’s largest charities, few have a clear grasp of what is actually driving voluntary income.
“Out of the hundreds of charities that I have analysed, there are only a handful that actually understand the real drivers of their voluntary income and how they can effectively influence them,” he wrote.
Aldrich said that across organisations he has reviewed, “fundraising directors are, in too many charities, flying blind,” unable to answer basic questions such as the return on investment of different fundraising activities, who their supporters are, and what motivates them to give.
Strategy disconnected from income
He argued that fundraising is still seen as a support function, not a strategic driver – leading to poor decision-making and a lack of meaningful insight.