The charity world has a conflicted attitude towards companies. Our concern is that the relationship between companies and charities is becoming ever blander. For charities and companies to make the most of each other we need innovation and courage. So what might new ideas look like?

To answer this, Joe Saxton draws on more than 25 years experience in non-profit sector to investigate the effectiveness of current and new models of partnerships in this report. The report consists of five parts:

Charities often learn some great lessons from private industry, but have they missed a trick by leaving out technology? Anna Chistyakova thinks so and is challenging charities to draw her in.

I have recently found myself thinking that I have become more data sensitive. I pay attention to how many Twitter followers or LinkedIn connections I have and I track my health stats with new apps and devices to become a better runner. I compare different people’s opinions on sites like TripAdvisor and Quora to find the answer I’m looking for.

Based on a sample of nearly 60 UK charities and nfpSynergy data, this five part report looks at some key questions and analyses two areas in detail: the relationship between awareness and income, and that between awareness and media spend.

Over the years I have found your reports and guides to be the most insightful and valuable strategy tools I have ever come across. I’ve directly used your analyses of fundraising portfolios, branding strategies, organisational visions and missions and others to shape the direction of my work and organisation.

I can’t tell you the clarity and value your insights have added to my work, and the contribution it has made to our success and ultimately the beneficiaries we serve.

As it's the season of goodwill, we're giving away The 12 Insights of Christmas. They look at some of the key issues facing the charity sector and include research, interviews and advice from charities and from us. Unwrap our 12 free reports just in time for Christmas.

A charity board will usually monitor finances. But measuring just finances is a bit like measuring just the heart rate of an athlete; it’s important, but it’s just one of a range of ways of knowing whether an athlete is healthy. A great heart rate in an athlete certainly doesn’t tell if they will win any races.

So in charities, what else should trustees (or senior managers) measure apart from money? And how should they measure the money stuff? Here are some ideas about things that every charity can measure based on my experience on different boards. I have yet to see an organisation that measures all of these areas perfectly.