2025 AFP/Skystone Partners Prize for Research on Fundraising and Philanthropy Awarded

(Arlington, VA) The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Foundation for Philanthropy has awarded the 2025 AFP/Skystone Partners Prize for Research on Fundraising and Philanthropy to Drs. Jen Shang and Adrian Sargeant for their book, Meaningful Philanthropy: The Person Behind the Giving, published by Palgrave Macmillan.

The book explores how philanthropy is experienced by High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) and Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) employing the lens of the new science of Philanthropy Psychology.  This includes an examination of identity, meaning and meaningfulness and how these change over the course of a philanthropic journey.

The authors are co-founders of the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy in the UK. Dr. Shang is its director while Dr. Sargeant serves as professor of fundraising.  On winning the award, Dr. Shang said, "I am deeply honored to receive the 2025 Skystone Research Prize. It inspires and encourages me that APF is recognizing the importance of garnering meaning in philanthropic experiences, and I hope this recognition will provide the much needed research precedent for fundraisers to grow meaningful philanthropy in this critical time."

Each year, the AFP Research Council awards the Skystone Partners Prize for Research to the author or authors of a book that contributes substantially to the knowledge and understanding of fundraising or philanthropic behavior. The award is made possible by an endowment established by Skystone Partners, an international fundraising consulting firm, through the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy to encourage advanced research that extends the knowledge of fundraising and philanthropy.

“Research in philanthropy is not just reflective—it’s prophetic. It shows us what’s coming, what’s possible, and what matters most, said Elizabeth Kohler Knuppel, president and CEO of Skystone Partners, which sponsors the award. “Meaningful Philanthropy is a brilliant, timely example of how deep, authentic inquiry can illuminate the emotional and relational heart of giving and the giver. Dr. Jen Shang and Dr. Adrian Sergeant’s work doesn’t just inform the field—it transforms it—just like the gift transforms the giver. The AFP/Skystone Partners Prize for Research exists to lift up scholarship that challenges our assumptions and elevates our practice. This year’s recipient reminds us that when we slow down, listen deeply, and lead with love, we can shape a future for philanthropy that is effective and deeply human.” 

Skystone Partners, as part of their series “On Giving,” is hosting a conversation with Dr. Shang on April 15, 2025. It is free to participate. Register here.
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The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy champions philanthropy and volunteerism by strengthening the nonprofit sector’s current and future leaders, welcoming diverse new voices into the charitable world, and rigorously upholding the highest standards of ethics. The foundation currently focuses on developing fundraising leadership programs, supporting research on critical issues in the profession, building a stronger sector through a more diverse workforce, and renewing public trust in charitable organizations. More information about the foundation can be found at www.afpglobal.org/USFoundation.