Best-Kept-Secret Career: Prospect Researcher

December 11, 2008 RSS Feed Print

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Snapshot: One of nonprofits' hidden heroes is the prospect researcher. They mainly use computers to identify target donors—for example, wealthy people who have donated to similar causes. A prospect researcher will also dig up more detailed information about a potential major donor to help the solicitor maximize the donation: For example, the prospect's hobbies, pet peeves, past donations, and emotional hot buttons. If you'd like to direct your detective and information junkie proclivities to nonprofit ends, prospect research might be on target for you.

Learn more:

What's it Like to be a Prospect Researcher?
David Lamb's Prospect Research Portal
Prospect Research: A Primer for Growing Nonprofits, by Cecilia Hogan
Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA)

Tags:: research,; careers

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Diane: Do you know anyone who has heart disease? diabetes? cancer? Do you know an elderly person who needs meals delivered to his or her home? Do you know anyone who goes to an art museum? Your answer to at least one, if not most, of these questions is yes. Now, do you know how we find cures to diseases, educate the best and brightest minds? Prospect research is not about "stalking" donors and it certainly is not something that does not "contribute to society". In fact, it contributes a great amount to society (behind the scenes). Prospect research is finding the right donor, strengthening relationships between current donors and organizations, soliciting (and cultivating) donors in a targeted and intelligent manner, and so much more.
When you son goes to college and needs or gets a scholarship, that money comes from a fund, an endowment, a fellowship, etc. - all this made possible by the profession you, as is evidenced by your ignorant comments, have not researched.

Adiam of TX 9:37PM December 05, 2009

I've worked for years in fundraising communications and many of my nonprofit clients still want to focus mostly on foundations and corporations because they perceive them as "easier" to approach than individuals. It's certainly true that to be more effective in soliciting an individual, you need to learn a great deal about their philanthropic interests and assets. Access to an excellent prospect researcher, trained to comb through public records and tease out the most relevant and useful information, can make such a difference. But a lot of my clients are too small (or struggling in this economy) to afford a researcher (even though it's such a good investment). I recently found a great online prospect research training tool that could help a lot of other nonprofits (not just with research on individuals but with all aspects of prospect research). If anyone is interested, here is the link: http://advancementresearchtoolkit.com/

Susan of CA 5:49PM November 18, 2009

I am a pastor at a church in Indiana that is reaching nonchurched people as it's primary focus group. We are in the middle of a building campaign. With the economy hurting so much, overall giving has dropped a bit. I was intrigued by this article and wondered if anyone could point me in the right direction of what I could start doing or have some of our volunteers do to get more informed about prospect research, especially in the area of church buildings. Any ideas?

C. Russell of IN 11:47AM June 25, 2009

Best-Kept-Secret Career: Prospect Researcher

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