Gibson discusses donor desires at Nonprofit Excellence

What do donors want? In recent years, there has been growing interest in collecting data from nonprofits about their effectiveness, impact, and day-to-day activities in an effort to help donors make better investment decisions.  But do donors want this kind of information? And do (or will) they use it in making funding decisions? On April 27th, Cynthia Gibson explored these questions during her session at the Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence’s Sixth Annual Conference. 

The Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence serves more than 30 counties in Eastern Arkansas, Northern Mississippi and Western Tennessee with the goal of strengthening organizations that meet community needs.  This year’s conference, “Giving, Grants, & Goodwill: The New Face of Philanthropy,” took place at the Clark Opera Memphis Center in Memphis, Tennessee and looked at the changing trends in giving and grantmaking that are impacting nonprofits.  

Gibson’s session built on “What Do Donors Want?” an article that she and William Dietel authored in September 2010 for Nonprofit Quarterly, which discusses the challenges of balancing the art and science of philanthropy.  Her session looked at whether there is a need for both mind and heart in giving decisions, and if so, how they can or should be equally valued in discussions about effective philanthropy.

For more information on the conference and Gibson’s session, visit the Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence.