Our latest thinking
Read our thoughts on what's happening in higher education and the not for profit sector, plus ideas and inspiration from around the world and beyond the sector.
Blog Database
Fundraising is often siloed by sector. Schools, universities and charities each have their own traditions, challenges and approaches, and it’s easy to remain focussed on your ecosystem – but what happens when we break down those walls and learn from one another? In our recent webinar, we brought together leaders from all three sectors to explore this question.
Fundraising is often siloed by sector. Schools, universities and charities each have their own traditions, challenges and approaches, and it’s easy to remain focussed on your ecosystem – but what happens when we break down those walls and learn from one another? In our recent webinar, we brought together leaders from all three sectors to explore this question.
A highlight of 2025 for Cairney & Company was exhibiting at the CASE Europe Annual Conference (CEAC). Here, we share highlights from Senior Partner Kurstin Finch Gnehm’s session with Sophie Thorp and Juan Pablo Garrido on making the case for internal investment in a small shop, and wider reflections from CEAC.
With the UK Budget announced this week, we share our reflections on a policy shift with significant implications for higher education and national competitiveness.
Cairney & Company is delighted to welcome Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli as Strategic Adviser. Sir Anton brings a wealth of experience; not only as a renowned leader of one of the foremost academic institutions in the United Kingdom, the University of Glasgow, but also as a distinguished economist, having advised the Scottish and UK Governments, European Commission and the World Bank.
This Remember a Charity Week (8-14 September 2025), Kurstin Finch Gnehm explores why building your capacity to solicit and receive legacy gifts has never been more important.
With annual legacy income at £4.5bn in the UK and forecast to reach over £10bn by 2050, the time to make the case for investment is now.
At the CASE Spring Institute in Educational Fundraising 2025, C&C Senior Partner Kurstin Finch Gnehm and Dr Joanna McGarry (University of Bristol) hosted a session titled “Social media glow-up: LinkedIn edition.”
This article offers a summary of what they shared during the session, with three practical actions you can take to raise your LinkedIn game.
This survey of higher education institutions in the UK and Ireland is our most comprehensive source of data on sector-wide philanthropy trends. It provides a valuable benchmark to understand how your fundraising efforts compare to peers across the sector. Here, we share our takeaways.
Get to know the Cairney & Company team more! Every quarter, as part of our newsletter we’ll feature a member of our team so you can get to know a little bit about each of them. This time, we get to know Strategic Delivery Partner, Michael Lavery.
If you were at the IDPE Annual Conference, you may have caught Annarosa Muscatelli and Kurstin Finch Gnehm’s major gift solicitation masterclass. If not, or if you’re ready for a refresher, we’ve rounded up their top tips in this ten-point guide to help make sure your next ask hits the mark.
As employees and team leaders, there are things we can each do to prevent burnout in fundraising. This Mental Health Awareness Week, our Senior Partner Kurstin Finch Gnehm reflects on steps we can take to safeguard ourselves and our teams.
Whether you're a first-time conference attendee or a seasoned pro, Cairney & Company Senior Consultant, Annarosa Muscatelli, shares her top ten tips that will help you turn your next conference into a truly valuable experience.