Factary Atom: what makes it different (and quite probably better)?

A few people in various research forums have asked how Atom differs from other providers of network maps. I thought I’d run through a few of the key differences here.

First, Atom is a tailored service. Unlike other providers, which mainly if not exclusively offer subscription-only access to their database, in an Atom project we would work with you to identify your specific needs and then prepare a dataset to meet those needs. For example, we could provide a map showing the connections of your board, your most generous supporters or potential major prospects. We can provide you with online access to this map, along with a guide instructing you on how to use it. We provide a copy of the data gathered during the course of our research for you to import back into your database. Finally, we are also able to provide a report drawing attention to any items of particular interest within your map.

Second, in contrast to many other network map providers we do not limit the information we gather to business positions only. We only use data from reliable sources (Companies House, Bureau van Dijk/DASH, Debrett’s People of Today and Who’s Who, to name a few) and do not ‘harvest’ unverifiable data from the internet. We also include information on individuals’ non-business positions – so any charitable affiliations, club or society memberships, social or family connections, leisure interests, and so on.

Third, we make use of more information that we gather to draw connections. Several other network map providers do include educational information on the people in its database – but I’m not certain whether they draw connections on that basis, which Atom certainly does. We also draw connections between people on the basis of shared leisure interests. This doesn’t indicate a real-world connection of course, but is immensely useful in strategising. In fact, since Atom is a tailored service we are in principle able to include any data available in the public domain within our maps.

The upshot of this is that our maps potentially present a more rounded picture of the individuals within it. A report we published earlier this year on the basis of the data gathered for Atom projects since its launch in 2011 showed that half of all connections discovered were on the basis of non-business positions. Given that non-profits often have different aims from businesses when using maps this additional data is, we feel, vital. For example should a map of your board show that one of them is connected to a trustee of a major grant-maker via a shared membership of a London club, this could form the basis of a useful point of access.

Finally, we use a method of showing connections between individuals that takes into account not only shared positions at an organisation but also the time spent at that organisation. If two people have spent time at the same company, but during non-overlapping periods, then there’s no true basis for saying a connection exists between them. Atom takes this information into account, drawing direct links between individuals only where they’ve spent overlapping years at an organisation.

Factary Director Martine Godefroid workshop at 9th AFF Conference

Martine Godefroid, Managing Director of Factary Europe, will be giving a workshop with Mélina Mercier, Director-General of the Fondation de l’UPMC, at the 9th Fundraising Conference of the L’Association Française des Fundraisers.

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Événement phare du secteur de l’enseignement supérieur et de la recherche, cette conférence vous permet, une fois par an, d’être au cœur des enjeux du fundraising, de rencontrer un grand nombre de professionnels du secteur et de monter en expertise sur tous les sujets qui font votre quotidien. Quel que soit votre niveau, quelle que soit la taille de votre structure, vous pouvez être de la partie!

L’innovation, la créativité et le renouveau sont au cœur de vos métiers; ils seront également au centre de la 9ème édition de la conférence et des sessions qui y seront dispensées. Inspirez-vous des intervenants internationaux qui seront à l’honneur cette année et puisez des idées applicables dans votre structure! C’est un moment unique pour prendre la température du secteur, motiver vos équipes… et vous-même! Vous pourrez partager vos bonnes pratiques, vos succès mais aussi vos craintes et échanger avec vos pairs tout au long de la formation.

The Newest Philanthropists

Thirty of the UK’s newest philanthropists are featured in a report published today by Factary.

The report is focused on the Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) and High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) who have founded grant-making trusts and foundations during 2013.

We profile 30 of the richest people in the country who have created grant-making bodies, and analyse their wealth, philanthropic interests and biographical information to create a picture of the UK newest philanthropists. With a combined estimated wealth of £5.7 billion, these individuals represent a significant source of funding for UK non-profit organisations in the years to come.

The report includes:

  • Detailed profiles of thirty new philanthropists
  • Updated information on their trusts and foundations
  • Note that, with one exception, none of these trusts is listed in any other directory of grant-making trusts
  • Our analysis of the biographic, philanthropic and financial data on these philanthropists
  • Networking Index to identify the links between philanthropists, companies and the new trusts.

HOW TO ORDER
To order the report email Nicola Williams, nicolaw@factary.com

The report is priced at £135. New or existing subscribers to Factary Phi or Factary’s New Trust Update get a discounted price of £95.

From Bookmaking to Billionaires
Included in the report is a scion of a billionaire family, a Duchess, a Viscount and two Knights of the Realm. There are eight representatives from the financial services industry including two hedge fund managers and four investment bankers, along with philanthropists with other sources of wealth including landownership, art galleries, bookmaking and football.

London, and International
There is a strong geographic concentration on London and the Home Counties but also a continuing international flavour to the new philanthropists in the UK with seven of the thirty UHNWIs and HNWIs having nationalities other than British, and global connections identified to a wide range of countries including Zambia, South Africa, Italy, Nigeria and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Oxbridge
There is a strong Oxbridge connection – a third of these new philanthropists went to either Oxford or Cambridge, with over 25% going to Oxford. Other UK universities attended include the University of Bristol, the London School of Economics, Leeds University and the University of Birmingham. Three of the people featured also went to the same public school; Charterhouse.

UK Philanthropy, Goes on Growing
During 2013 Factary’s New Trust Update reported on a total of 217 newly-registered grant-making trusts and foundations in the UK. This report shows that people of significant wealth are continuing to create foundations and grant-making trusts to support philanthropic organisations in the UK and abroad, creating a positive picture of philanthropy in the UK.

Venture Philanthropy in the UK Shows Similar Characteristics
The findings in this new report reflect the new philanthropists that we identified in our 2013 report on The Venture Philanthropists. In that report we found that 39% of UK venture philanthropists come from the financial services industry. We also found many people of wealth – £38 billion in combined personal assets.

Research:
This report was researched and edited by Will Whitefield, Senior Researcher at Factary. It is published as a special supplement to Factary’s New Trust Update.