News

NPC to take over Intelligent Giving

Fundraising | Tania Mason | 12 Aug 2009

Intelligent Giving has finally succumbed to the impossibility of finding sustainable funding and is being taken over by New Philanthropy Capital.

The donor advice website announced this morning that it will wind down later this month and the NPC will take over its brand and website “and look for ways to develop its message on transparency in the charity sector”.

A source close to the negotiations said it was the culmination of several months of funding problems for IG, which had always relied on a few very rich and generous donors to keep it afloat.  But now that cash had run out and NPC seemed the most obvious home for the operation.

Adam Rothwell, the former IG director who left two months ago to pursue a career as a history teacher, said it was a “very sad day” and that he hoped NPC would continue to push the issues that IG was set up to tackle.

“The fact that not enough people are willing to support it just goes to show how much more work there is to do,” he told Charity News Alert.

“It also highlights the importance of the campaign that Acevo and the Impact Coalition have announced this week.”

Richard Marsh (pictured), who was hired to replace Rothwell just weeks ago, said he was always aware it would be an interim contract.

“When I joined I was aware there were some really big questions about the financial viability of IG and my twin tasks were to develop fundraising or a business model for trustees to consider, and to put feelers out for other relationships to allow IG to live on.

“After I presented all the options they considered a merger or takeover to be the more prudent.”

Intelligent Giving’s website features over 500 UK charities, assigning them scores for the quality of reporting and transparency of their annual report and accounts.

“Intelligent Giving has been doing good work in a difficult market,” said, NPC’s chief executive Martin Brookes. “It has helped to push forward the agenda on transparency within the charity sector, and we are excited about having an opportunity to build on what it has done.”

Marsh is now out of a job.  "Anyone want a consultant?" he said.

Directory: Intelligent Giving | New Philanthropy Capital
Who's Who: Tania Mason | Richard Marsh