A student sent me a very specific request that has as its theme the benchmark among nonprofit organizations (a question still open in Italy ...). Read, very interesting I think.

Hello teacher Melandri, my name is [...] and I am a graduating student of Master Degree in Management Engineering from the University of Palermo. The disorder to kindly ask a question for my thesis. I am working on fundraising, in particular I'm trying to evaluate the efficiency in the fundraising of some Sicilian ONP, on the basis of information and indicators, selected by reference to what exists in the literature. It would be interesting to me then to propose a case of Italian excellence of ONP to be used as a benchmark. For this, I ask if I can give an indication, a hint, in fact about an Italian organization that excels in fundraising, so that I can contact and possibly to collect the necessary information. Consider that the organizations that I am analyzing are all medium to small, non-profit organization operating in all areas of support to vulnerable population ranges from developing countries, the disadvantaged of our city, those with special physical or mental health problems.
Thank you in advance, and I apologize for disturbing her.

My response
Dear [...]
mean someone who excels in terms of fundraising and 'very difficult because it is something that can not' be taken as a whole.
This is an analysis tool that must be made by instrument, country to country and organization to organization. And although the two organizations did the same rate (percentage of fixed costs / variable chaste or percentage overheads / project costs, or money spent for every dollar collected) would actually be very little significant to report their alleged efficiencies.
For Telethon has provided Rai, do certain collections is very different from that for the small organization of Palermo, and if maybe Telethon has a 20% collection costs than the small organization that Palermo has 60% (ie for each spends $ 100 collected 60) this does not necessarily mean that an 'good and the other evil. You have to look at the historical moment of the organization, its history, the cause, region, size, to its database, the presence of volunteers, etc ...
Rather than face only a benchmark of Sicily, and this would have a meaning, maybe spread the ONP area, and if this could have some meaning.
I would be interested in publishing a summary of his thesis in one of the magazines I work for, could have its own meaning.
In other words, the question that arises is that in my opinion wrong. And as if I had at home a broken thermometer, to measure the fever to my kids tell me "the temometro and 'broken, but at least it's a thermometer" ... not really so, you need to find other ways to measure body temperature, and the benchmark on fundraising and 'very dangerous!
Best wishes