Headline donors give when they see timely issues in the news. They are motivated by what is currently happening and have a high degree of empathy for people in crisis. They rarely give to the same organization twice, preferring to spread their impact around.

Informed donors prefer multi-year projects off tried and true models. Their philanthropy is data-driven, and they research the most impactful way to give, They usually have 1-3 causes they choose to support.

A steady donor gives to well-established organizations or tried and true projects. Some typical examples of steady donor recipients are universities or hospital foundations. They know where their money is going and are happy with how those funds are used to impact change.

Mavericks like bright shiny new ideas, start-up charities, pilot projects, system-level change, and capacity building. They like to find innovative projects, help prove the model and then find follow-along capital. Maverick donors like to leverage their donations and tap into their network to boost projects.