Place-based work, DAFs, imposter syndrome & the prodigal son effect

You might have noticed that our sector seems to love its buzzwords.

And we’re tucking into a buzzword feast in this month’s edition of Unconventional Wisdom, as Rachel Cross presents our round-up of recent thought-provoking articles from great minds across the charity sector.

If you’ve ever been dazzled by the donor-advised fund or puzzled by the place-based funder, then look no further, as we’ve gathered up the intel from those on the inside.

Speaking of intel, in this round-up we also visit the concept of financial intelligence, and discover why we really shouldn’t be praising the funders who are doing slightly more than the bare minimum.

If all this sounds like heavy stuff, to finish off we take a peek at imposter syndrome, with some words of encouragement for any fundraiser who needs reminding that you’re probably better at your job than you think you are.

I’d usually say grab a cuppa and enjoy…but with the heat still lingering on, perhaps an iced lemonade instead?

What does place-based actually mean?
Written by Loujane Alasi and published on LinkedIn

It’s the buzzword of 2026 in civil society – we’re seeing the word ‘place-based’ pop up, well, all over the place – and not least among grantmakers. But is working in a place enough to be truly place-based? Place-based language is intended to encourage community collaboration and transparency – both very important things. But Loujane, who herself works for a place-based funder, shows us how applying a too narrow view of this term could end up having the opposite effect.

How Financial Intelligence Will Define the Next Decade for Charities
Written by Mark Salway and published on LinkedIn

In a sector facing some dark financial times, Mark presents the case that the biggest constraint on charitable impact over the next decade is not going to be a lack of funding, shortage of talent, or even scale of need – but the quality of the decisions being made about how financial resources are being used.

Especially insightful for trustees and decision-makers, Mark identifies the critical difference between a financial intelligence approach and simply accounting for money, and provides a helpful, applicable framework for viewing all financial questions from a strategic, mission-focused perspective.

Funders and the Prodigal Son Effect
Written by Vu Le and published on Nonprofit AF

Despite being foggy on the actual meaning behind the story of the Prodigal Son, Vu Lee makes a key observation about how we should respond to trusts and foundations who make minor improvements to their grantmaking.

When funders make miniscule improvements to a very low bar (such as increasing their annual payout rate from 5% to 6%) they are often showered with praise, but Vu argues that this only increases complacency. Praising minor changes gives the illusion of progress and growth, but actually prevents funders from taking the bigger, bolder actions that society really needs.
 
Behind the scenes at a UK DAF
Written by Caroline Richardson and published on The Nest Egg

The notion of the Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is certainly trending among fundraisers as we navigate a shape-shifting trusts and foundations landscape, so much so that Caroline from LarkOwl has declared 2026 as ‘the year of the DAF’.

In simple terms, DAFs are a bit of a hybrid between trusts and major donors and have become increasingly popular among UK philanthropists over the past few years as they rely more heavily on. Learn how your charity can to get a slice of the DAF pie as Caroline gives us the inside scoop from her virtual coffee with Rachel Tomlins, who works as a DAF representative, about what she looks for when researching charities to recommend to her clients.
 
What No One Tells You About Imposter Syndrome in Fundraising
Written by Jeff Schreifels and published by Veritas Group

Do you ever feel like somehow you are falling behind everyone else as a fundraiser? Second-guessing every decision and questioning whether you’re actually in the right job?

If so, you’re certainly not alone. This piece from Jeff Schreifels is written from a US major donor fundraising perspective, but still a very relatable account that I know than I can relate with – so I’m sure many fundraisers will too. It goes into the reasons why imposter syndrome is so prevalent in our career, and provides some much-needed words of encouragement to the fundraiser who needs a boost of confidence. ​