Joe’s blog about TOIL has provoked much comment, not least in the nfpSynergy office. Mirroring the comments on our site, opinion is divided. And all of this happening while Joe is sunning himself in the Caribbean…

For me, the discussion about TOIL relates to broader questions facing charities about how to balance staff needs with responding to other stakeholders. Unlike profit-making organisations, charities have no 'simple bottom-line' to solve this.

It has become part of the charity vernacular. “’So and so’ is on TOIL (time off in lieu) today. They worked all weekend and so they’re taking Monday off.” For many charities, TOIL is as endemic a part of the working culture as equal opportunities and pay increments. Every employee really ought to be able to take some time off if they have worked hard above and beyond their normal hours. Who could argue with that?

Audience segmentation by attitude and lifestyle is just one of the ways that charities can make sure they get the right message across to the right audience. But what is the theory of segmentaiton? This presentation explores how charities can make sure they exract every ounce of value from their investment in research and marketing.

 Concern have been working with nfpSynergy to better understand supporters and potential supporters. nfpSynergy have a lot of experience working with charities so they have helped us to learn more about our donors and the wider market.  We have used insights gained to produce more targeted communications, because we now have a better knowledge of who our supporters are and what they expect from us.

Ambrose Duffy, when he was Head of Donor Marketing, Concern. He is now Director of Public Fundraising at UNICEF Ireland.

As nfpSynergy clients who attended our March Insights event and heard the presentation that forms the basis of this editorial will be aware, one of the themes to emerge in recent waves of our research is that while charitable giving levels in 2012 remain volatile, the picture is not bleak.