The Fundraising Reader

The Fundraising Reader draws together essential literature establishing a one-stop body of knowledge that explains what fundraising is, and covers key concepts, principles and debates. The book shines a light on the experience of being a fundraiser and answers an urgent need to engage with the complexities of a facet of the non-profit sector that is often neglected or not properly understood.

This international compilation features extracts from key writing on fundraising, with a comprehensive contextualising introduction by the editors. Uniquely, this Reader shares conflicting positions relating to age-old and current debates on fundraising: Is fundraising marketing? Should donors or the community be front and centre in fundraising? How can fundraisers deal with ethical dilemmas such as ‘tainted’ donors and money? Best practice and future trends are also covered, including the impact of new technologies and responding to demands for greater diversity, inclusion, and equity in fundraising teams.

This Reader is for those who seek to further develop their own understanding of fundraising, and it provides an invaluable resource for academic courses and professional training.

Beth Breeze is the Director of the Centre for Philanthropy at the University of Kent, UK. Beth worked for a decade as a fundraiser and charity manager before her current role in which she leads a programme of research and teaching on all aspects of fundraising, philanthropy and charitable giving.

Donna Day Lafferty is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Chichester, UK. She has worked as a professional fundraiser and project manager since 1997, and now combines this with her academic role. She is the founder of the world’s first undergraduate degree dedicated to non-profit fundraising, Charity Development BA (Hons.), launched in 2014.

Pamala Wiepking is the inaugural Stead Family Chair in International Philanthropy at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, where she teaches Principles and Practices of Fundraising in the online Masters program. She is also the inaugural Professor of Societal Significance of Charity Lotteries at the Center for Philanthropic Studies at VU Amsterdam.