Engaging Muslim donors, navigating charity closures, plus a new meaning to gut decision-making

Welcome to Unconventional Wisdom: our periodic round-up of the most interesting perspectives and ideas published recently by charity specialists, fundraisers and other experts. If you'd like to receive this regularly, along with our monthly fundraising and strategy blog, click here to subscribe.

British Mus­lims are the most gen­er­ous group in the UK – how can fundrais­ers engage them?
Written by Jasmine Miah and published by SOFII
A recent report showed that last year, UK Mus­lims gave FOUR times more to charity than the aver­age British per­son - a staggering average of £708 per person, compared to £165 for the UK population as a whole. That's an incredible level of generosity - but how many organisations are thinking tactically about how to engage Muslim donors and meet them where they are? When planning our fundraising strategies, we all get excited about finding untapped fundraising opportunities - this might be one that is all too often overlooked.

Impact of the gut microbiome composition on social decision-making
Study by Marie Falkenstein, Marie-Christine Simon, Aakash Mantri, Bernd Weber, Leonie Koban & Hilke Plassmann, published in the PNAS Nexus journal
Now for the type of niche scientific study that we created this feature for! Human decision-making is incredibly complex - what we think and decide to do in different situations often seems irrational, because it's influenced by countless factors that we still scarcely understand. Well, here's a fascinating new factor to consider: the mix of bacteria in our gut microbiome. This study shows how changing people's diets influenced their decisions when given a social dilemma, with fairness becoming more important when deciding to accept or reject monetary payoffs. Unless you're deciding what your donors have for breakfast, this might not be an easy lesson to put into action, but it's an illuminating reminder of how complex our decision-making is.

The Impact of Large, Unrestricted Grants on Nonprofits: A Five-Year View
Written by Kathleen Fleming, Anthony Michael Abril & Jeff Bradach and published by The Center for Effective Philanthropy
We've long been huge advocates of the need for more core funding in our sector - but what actually happens when organisations receive large, unrestricted grants? Perhaps unsurprisingly for those of you who know the frustrating limitations of restricted project funding only too well, this recent report found that the five-year impact of long-term unrestricted funding was "dramatically and profoundly positive" - with organisations investing in strengthening their infrastructure and resilience, and leaders becoming less fearful and more strategic in their thinking. It's so important to see this kind of thing measured and documented - here's hoping that more funders take note.

The Bezos Earth fund has pumped billions into climate and nature projects. So why are experts uneasy?
Written by Patrick Greenfield and published by The Guardian
Now for a less positive aspect of philanthropy. Ultra wealthy donors have long been scrutinised for their motives - what does their version of social change really look like, and are they in it to improve the world or impose their own priorities? While Jeff Bezos has attracted praise and accolades for his $10bn climate and biodiversity fund, there's also growing concern, especially around his focus on carbon offsets. This is a textbook example of a growing issue: “Bezos Earth Fund’s enormous presence in the climate and conservation space [looks] less philanthropical, and more like an attempt to take over the corporate governance system for its own interests and agenda. The projects of the Bezos fund do not address the key issues of the fundamental climate crisis we are facing."

Treading on eggshells or a bull in a china shop? A primer for how to respond to news about organisational closures
Written by Iona Lawrence & Zoe Stanton and published by The Decelerator
With the voluntary sector in crisis, it feels like every day brings news of another charity closure. So often, these are framed as defeats or failure - and while the impact can often be disastrous for people who depend on that organisation's services, it's also important to see the alternative perspective. Closures also provide an opportunity to celebrate achievements, learn lessons and embrace new beginnings. While much has been written about how to be a good friend to people who have lost a loved one, this blog explores how to have better conversations with people who are facing, navigating or processing the end of an organisation’s life.