Interviewing Elite Donors: Gaining Access, Developing Rapport and Dealing with the Dazzle

Abstract Elite donors are a crucial and sought-after source of funding for many nonprofit organisations, but there is dearth substantive empirical studies presenting primary data on such donors’ motivations, experiences perspectives. There challenges social scientists in conducting interviews with elites, notably: gaining access to elite donors; developing sufficient rapport discuss topic that involves money morals; making sense without being dazzled by striking surface differences between elites non-elites. These barriers have resulted long-standing over-reliance secondary sources proxies as foundation staff wealth advisers. This paper reviews the small body work presents findings from draws my experience 46 wealthy UK donors, order critically analyse implementation this research design. adds literature extending understanding reasons agreeing be interviewed contributes advancing third sector highlighting strategies overcome gain less mediated contexts, cultures subjectivities their focus study.