Awareness and Image
Assessing who knows your about organisation
and how
they perceive it.
Fundraising and Supporter Experience
Developing new appeals
and
products and enhancing supporter journeys.
Campaigning and Public Relations
Supplying publishable research that builds the case for support or lobbies for change.
Learn MoreBeneficiaries and Impact Evaluation
Understanding the needs and experiences of service users and assessing social impact.
Learn MoreStrategy and Planning
Understanding the perspectives of different stakeholders to inform strategic priorities.
Learn More
“I have had the pleasure of commissioning and
working with Jacinta on a number of occasions over the
past 10 years. There is a reason I have kept returning
to her: she always delivers research that is robust,
insightful and which we can turn into practical
action.
This has included developing new services as well as an
organisation-wide strategy. Jacinta’s attention to
detail is immense, she is easy to work with and always
delivers what is required.”
Alison Wyman
(2024)
Chief Executive
The Actors’ Benevolent Fund
Christian Faith
International Development
Environment
Social Welfare
Healthcare and Disability
Heritage and Leisure
A snapshot of our valued partners.
What does it cover?
Measuring the levels of awareness and perceptions of an organisation among key target audiences such as supporters, target beneficiaries, or the general public. Comparing with that of other players ('competitor' analysis).
What have we done before in this space?
In 2014, for a consortium of hospices we measured awareness levels in their geographic catchment area, amongst both the general public and referring GPs and hospital clinicians. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a mixed mode approach: survey of the general public; focus groups with service users; and telephone depth interviews with healthcare professionals. We provided insights into how many people knew their local hospices, the image of palliative care, education gaps and how to strengthen the referral process. This informed an awareness raising campaign on radio and social media.
What does it cover?
Refining communication strategies (copy and visuals) for fundraising or volunteering appeals, advertising campaigns or social marketing. Developing and testing reaction to new brand identities.
What have we done before in this space?
Over a four year period (2016-2020) we worked with the campaigning division of an international development charity. Initially we advised, through qualitative research, on how best to brand the campaigning division so it had most appeal to current and potential activists. Subsequently we conducted both qualitative and quantitative research over various assignments, to assist with the development of a series of campaigns to their supporters asking them to change their lifestyle to reduce their food waste, stop using single use plastics, recycle more, and educating them on the linkages between their own actions, climate change and extreme poverty globally. The research sought to understand which campaign messages would most motivate supporters to engage and make lifestyle changes, and what rationales resonated most. Our evaluation framework rigorously assessed the strengths and weaknesses of different propositions on: appeal, relevance, credibility, call to action and innovation.
What does it cover?
Understanding what motivates people to support a cause, barriers and enablers to greater engagement and reasons for lapsed support. Informing new product development by testing alternative propositions e.g. new fundraising products, campaign appeal messaging, legacy giving marketing materials.
Measuring levels of supporter satisfaction and understanding what donors and volunteers want from the relationship, to develop supporter journeys. Segmenting supporters into different typologies.
What have we done before in this space?
The examples below are from work with three different international development charities, highlighting how this is a sector where we have particular expertise:
We conducted qualitative and quantitative research with Tearfund's supporters (both volunteers and donors) in 2017, to test three alternative propositions for a new community fundraising product, which Tearfund volunteers could undertake themselves or promote to others in their churches. The research evaluated that the strongest proposition was for a quiz hosted by churches on the same night, across the country. Tearfund went on to further refine the concept and launched this new product as its annual 'Big Quiz Night', and this flagship product has had good longevity, and generated considerable income for the charity.
In 2020, for a leading international development charity we conducted a comprehensive supporter experience survey, with a representative sample of its financial donors, volunteers and campaigners. We used a mixed-mode survey design of postal and online questionnaires, (adapting to the challenges of conducting fieldwork in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic), and measured supporters' ways of engaging, views on communications, motivations to support, and levels of satisfaction and loyalty.
In 2022, a growing charity wanted to understand more about whether a refreshed legacy giving proposition that integrated child sponsorship (their core offering) into the messaging would resonate well and appeal to current supporters. Through online focus groups we explored existing donors' motivations for pledging a legacy; the strengths and weaknesses of the legacy proposition copy; reactions to alternative framings for the legacy ask; and preferred legacy marketing channels.
What does it cover?
Supplying rigorous research evidence that highlights and builds a case for a cause. This can be used to lobby government for changes in policy, or to raise the charity's profile, or provide momentum to a campaign. Generating media coverage through arresting headline statistics or compelling case studies.
What have we done before in this space?
In 2017, the Christian charity Tearfund conducted an omnibus poll of the general public to measure how many pray, who was more likely to do so and what they prayed about. We designed the questionnaire, interpreted the findings and identified the salient media angles. A press release highlighted the key findings to add weight to Tearfund's 50th jubilee campaign, which had a target to see one million prayers raised to help end extreme poverty, with links to their prayer resources.
What does it cover?
Understanding the needs of target beneficiaries (e.g. service users, members) and how best to meet these. Identifying the scale of demand and any gaps in service portfolio. Monitoring the perceived quality and impact of service delivery. Evaluating the social impact of different services or programmes.
What have we done before in this space?
In 2022 we conducted qualitative case study interviews with health professionals who were members of the Health Foundation's “Q” community (a network of people working in various quality and improvement roles in the health and care sector). The aim of the case studies was to understand how Q membership contributes to positive impact for members and their quality improvement work, to provide tangible examples of impact, and to generate actionable learning to develop the Q offering to clinicians and health service managers. Further qualitative studies in 2023 and 2024 evaluated several specific programmes offered by Q, which were aimed at equipping senior health leaders through activities such as workshops, peer collaboration and coaching. We explored emerging positive outcomes for individual participants and healthcare systems, plus enablers and inhibitors of these outcomes, thereby providing actionable learning on how the programmes could be enhanced in future.
In this area Jacinta has often collaborated with management consultants at Compass Partnership or MKS Nonprofit Advisory. With Compass Partnership Jacinta has conducted many published research studies for charities in the Armed Forces veterans sector, such as The Royal British Legion, SSAFA and The RAF Benevolent Fund, exploring the profile and welfare needs of the veteran community and the extent to which these charities were effectively meeting these needs. With MKS Nonprofit Advisory we utilise the Social Value model to help nonprofit organisations assess the positive impacts they make to society.
What does it cover?
Understanding the perspectives of different stakeholders to identify future strategic priorities. This includes beneficiaries (service users, members, customers/visitors), supporters (donors, volunteers, fundraisers, campaigners, members), and others.
Informing decisions such as on which market niche to focus, how to differentiate the charity from other players, how to develop the service offering to best meet the needs of the target audience and achieve your charitable objectives, and how to ensure revenue sustainability.
What have we done before in this space?
In 2023 a benevolent fund serving professionals in the performing arts commissioned us to conduct a survey of its membership, to profile their demographics, their expectations of membership and views on future directions of the charity. In the survey members identified key areas of need and priorities for the charity ‐ to raise its awareness, broaden its range of support, and develop its fundraising capability. Members' views fed into the development of a new strategy launched in 2024, with a focus upon reaching more people and developing activities that will have the greatest impact.
In 2021 a youth membership organisation wanted to canvas the views of its teenage members and adult volunteers on proposed changes to the personal demographic data they would collect from the membership upon joining. We heard through online focus groups that they were happy to provide most of the personal data requested, with only some minor concerns about the sensitivities around certain characteristics. The research identified the expectations of volunteers and teens on the preferred ways of collecting the information and practical considerations of how best to do so within the online membership portal.