Affinity is the dimension that asks the question every fundraising professional eventually has to answer in plain language: does this funder deeply care about what we do? Aprize makes that question quantitative.
Affinity is empirical and complementary
Many fundraising shops treat Affinity as something a researcher infers from a board roster, a trustee connection, or a foundation's public narrative. Those signals matter, but they are not what Aprize means by Affinity. We mean the share of a donor's total giving directed to your organization relative to their portfolio overall.
This Affinity calculation remains consistent over time, providing a reliable indicator of genuine interest and alignment with your mission. It allows fundraisers to prioritize relationships based on actual giving behavior rather than assumptions or anecdotal evidence. It complements the experience and judgement of Board members, fundraising professionals, and friends of your organization.
Why Affinity beats stated intent
Foundations publish mission statements. Program officers describe focus areas in published grantmaking guidelines. Both are useful inputs. Both are also, in aggregate, weak predictors of where grant dollars actually move. Affinity inverts the question: instead of asking what a foundation says it cares about, it measures what they have demonstrably put their money behind, year after year.
This matters for prioritization. A funder with high stated interest in education but low Affinity for your education-focused organization is worthy of more attention and investment. How do we need to refine positioning and engagement strategies to convert potential into actual support? Who can we leverage to build stronger connections?
Affinity changes program-fit conversations
Affinity gives program teams and development teams a shared vocabulary for what a "good" funder relationship looks like. Instead of debating whether a foundation "would" fund your new initiative, both teams can look at the list of your current donors and their Affinity scores. The conversation moves from speculation to evidence within minutes.
It also changes how you write proposals. A high-Affinity funder will recognize the language and outcomes you describe because they have funded similar work many times. The proposal becomes an alignment exercise rather than an education exercise. A low-Affinity funder, on the other hand, may require more context and explanation to understand the value of your initiative.