AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Research Grants & Initiatives
The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy engages in several research initiatives and projects, including the Research Council Forum and Emerging Scholar Program, the Wilson C. "Bill" Levis Fundraising Research Grant, the AFP Compensation and Benefits Study, and the Fundraising Effectiveness Project.
- Research Council Forum
- Emerging Scholar Program
- Wilson C. "Bill" Levis Fundraising Research Grant
- AFP Compensation and Benefits Study
- Fundraising Effectiveness Project
- Skystone Partners Prize for Research
Visit the Research & Reports page to search all related materials.
Research Council Forum (May 13, 2024)
On May 13, 2024, the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Research Council conducted an online forum that included the following presentations:
- “Past the pareto principle: Planning fundraising in the new era” – Genevieve Shaker, Ph.D., Jon Durnford, MBA, Erik Daubert, MBA, ACFRE
- “Update on Peer-to-peer fundraising” – Laura Hesse, M.Sc.
- “Donor Motivations for giving: Creating an international validated scale for academic and practical purposes” – Pamala Weipking, Ph.D.
Research Council Forum (July 11, 2023)
On July 11, 2023, the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Research Council conducted an online forum that included the following presentations:
- "Laura Hesse and Silke Boenig, "Peer to Peer Fundraisers"
- Daniel Hungerman and Mark Wilhelm-Ontin, "Tax Preferences for Charitable Giving"
- Ruth Hansen and Lauren Dula, "Testing fundraising messages in acquisition letters: The American public responds"
Emerging Scholar Program
The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Early Career Emerging Scholar Award was established to honor an individual who is emerging as a contributing scholar-practitioner to the discourse on philanthropy and fundraising. The purpose of the award is to recognize those who are pursuing research agendas congruent with the mission and interests of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Research Council. The award is given for a significant body of scholarship or a single extraordinary research achievement and in recognition of potential for future research.
The Wilson C. "Bill" Levis Fundraising Research Grant
The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy offers grants for up to $10,000 each year to individuals who wish to undertake research projects directly related to fundraising performance. It is presumed that any nonprofit organization involved in a study will be fully aware of the project and will give permission to the researcher to carry out the project. Fundraising professionals who wish to submit proposals are encouraged to seek advice from or partner with academic institutions in developing the research design. Deadline: June 7, 2024 and October 31, 2024
- Learn more and apply
- Make a gift towards this research fund
- "Interaction of Gender and Personal Values in Donor Response to Appeals": First Levis Fundraising Research Grant Recipient Study Findings Released
AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Compensation and Benefits Study
The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy's annual survey and report provides valuable data about compensation for fundraising professionals in the USA and Canada.
- The latest report is available free to AFP members as a benefit of membership.
Fundraising Effectiveness Project
The AFP Foundation for Philanthropy proudly houses the Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP). FEP’s goal is to help nonprofit organizations increase giving at a faster pace, with a focus on “effectiveness” (maximizing growth in giving) rather than “efficiency” (minimizing costs).
FEP conducts quarterly reports, provides useful growth in giving performance measurement tools, and publishes gain(loss) statistics quarterly through a partnership between AFP, GivingTuesday, and participating donor software firms.
Learn more—and access additional FEP reports and tools—on the FEP website at www.afpglobal.org/fep.
Skystone Partners Prize for Research
Each year, the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Research Council awards the Skystone Partners Prize for Research to the author of a book that contributes substantially to the knowledge and understanding of fundraising or philanthropic behavior. The Skystone Partners Prize is made possible by an endowment from Skystone Partners, LLC, and includes a cash prize of up to $5,000.
- Learn more on the AFP/Skystone Partners Prize page
