On a recent call with philanthropists, a nonprofit outlined the many supporters it already had before then proceeding to ask for the support of the donors on the phone.
“It completely backfired,” said Jessica Robinson Love, a managing director at the San Francisco office of philanthropic consulting group Arabella Advisors who took part in the meeting.
The philanthropists on the call identify as “effective altruists,” meaning they seek evidence on how their giving can most benefit others. Many of these donors select causes to support based on data-driven criteria including importance, tractability, and neglectedness.