How does your organisation view your donors? Our “close friends of the charity” and “generous supporters” might well be how we publically refer to them, but are we treating them well enough?

Our prospects are people we likely approach with our nicest smiles and most considerate ears. However, when they become donors, we seem to transition into comfort zone far too quickly. We no longer email as often, if at all, and assume that they’ll stick around with the kind of dedication parents do at the side-lines of their offspring’s amateur sport competitions.

The Centre for Philanthropy was founded in 2008 and is one the UK's leading centres for philanthropy research, teaching and public engagement. I was delighted to be able to interview Dr Beth Breeze, the Director of the Centre, in March 2016.

In 2011, a child called Caine set up a cardboard arcade in his dad’s garage. By chance, a filmmaker who stopped by to buy some car parts was inspired by Caine’s story. Five years later, Caine’s Arcade has had tens of thousands of customers and over $240,000 has been raised to send him to college. Caine isn’t the only person with a story.