Author Archives: carolinefiennes

Prince Harry: gives charity what he does best

Prince Harry goes to the Arctic: of course the press  go too. Smart guy. He’s doing what great donors do best: bringing to his charitable passions the most valuable and most unusual resources he can access. Raising the profile and … Continue reading

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Let’s inspire better giving, by…. celebrating failure!

When did you last hear of a charity that was rubbish? By some estimates, fully 60% of donations are made with no research into the charity’s performance. Whereas about 0% of commercial investments are made with no research into the … Continue reading

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Buy one, get 24 free!

I just have to share this because it’s so stunning. You want to improve education in rural India. A good start is to improve attendance. So you look at the causes of non-attendance: poor transport to/from school; children having no … Continue reading

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Of course we don’t discuss charitable giving: there’s no decent term for it

Language shapes how we think. No clear language: no clear thinking What is this thing that we do? “Deploying money, time and other resources to achieve positive social and environmental change”. A snappy phrase, don’t you think?? I’ve been talking … Continue reading

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Nine reasons why Red Nose Day is brilliant and deserves your money(!)

An independent view of Comic Relief & Red Nose Day In short, because they’re very impressive and focused, and do a lot more with your money than you could. What are their goals?   Well, notice first that they have … Continue reading

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Charitable gifts for the Royal Wedding: analysis of the plan

Prince William &Kate Middleton are asking for donations to a set of charities, rather than wedding gifts. Here’s my analysis of their plan. Good idea For sure the couple don’t need any towels from John Lewis. And since charities’ income falls … Continue reading

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Why don’t we talk about giving?

“I gave some money to a charity the other day, and it was just wonderful. Apparently, my donation helped them to [do something amazing]. I’m so proud and happy.” Do you ever have conversations like this? I don’t. I realised … Continue reading

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