Perceptions, opinions, and beliefs: Are they more important than good science in IRRI's fund raising?

An IRRI Seminar

By Duncan Macintosh
Head
Development Office, IRRI

Thursday, 5 September 2013
Havener Auditorium, IRRI


Abstract:

Good science, of course, brings its own rewards, but how important are donor and public perceptions, opinions, and beliefs in raising funds? How can they be influenced to either increase the size of the reward or at least avoid smaller and smaller rewards? Why is it that some science gets rewarded more than other science? There are several examples of IRRI science benefiting from positive perceptions, while other science at the Institute suffers from negative beliefs. How can this be changed?

IRRI's 50th anniversary fund-raising campaign from 2007 to 2012 provided many valuable lessons and insights into these important questions, especially in relation to fund raising among new donors in Asia and the US. During the campaign, IRRI also established foundations in Singapore and Hong Kong and subsequently in India,  marking a historic and unprecedented shift in the way the Institute seeks to operate and raise money.

These and more will be discussed in this exit seminar.