Best-Kept-Secret Career: Prospect Researcher

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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

Much as an equally short description of any other profession may leave people with false impressions, this one leaves out much. Thanks to Marty Nemko for putting even this short piece in the mainstream. However, researchers who support non-profits are most often excellent information managers, often credentialed with advanced degrees in information and library science.
Rather than 'dig' up information, prospect researchers distill from the torrent of information, analyze it and present it to those who help make many communities better through the organizations they support. And that doesn't account for the technical skill many wield with cutting edge technology in order to do so.
Many people unlikely understand the existence of the 1 million+ non-profits (in the U.S. alone) and the society, infrastructure, people and sheer dollars that comprise them. Explaining that community and the hard work and determination that go with it, cannot be summed up in a few sentences either.

HL of MI 7:34PM January 13, 2009

Thanks to Marty Nemko for suggesting prospect researchers are heroes, but Marty does us a disservice by implying we "dig up" highly personal information. I only use public records, so I have no way of determining a prospect's hobbies, pet peeves or "emotional hot buttons" unless that information was in an interview, news article, etc.

Joan 5:57PM January 13, 2009

Diane, your comment above is inaccurate, condescending and quite insulting. In a single paragraph you've shown you still don't know anything about the profession, so perhaps you should save your faulty judgment for your own immaculate activities that are clearly saving the world. Meanwhile, prospect researchers will seek information that will serve as the backbone for philanthropic causes worldwide.

EG of MI 1:41PM January 13, 2009

Often someone (call them a potential donor) will want to support an organization but not know the best way they can help that organization. They want to give back - but just don't know how or to where.
A prospect researcher can help find those who fit the specific need of an organization, and then provide necessary data to a fundraiser. The fundraiser will then contact the potential donor, develop the relationship and, if that person's desires to give do, in fact, dovetail with the organization's needs, the fundraiser will make the ask.
Prospect researchers - and the field - are valuable to nonprofits and educational institutions at all levels.
For the record - we don't have access to your bank accounts and other personal information. Anything we touch is publicly available - and much of that is available only via a subscription which allows us to see that information without having to go to the county recorder's office or the local library.
The code of ethics among professional prospect researchers is extremely high. It's an accepted part of the job, and we take that seriously.

Lee of CA 1:32PM January 13, 2009

Well at first I was intrigued about this profession that I knew little about. I was saddened to read that once again a ambulance chasing job that does nothing to contribute to society. I find that wealthy people can contribute their money just fine without the aid of prospect researchers helping find solicitors to help them with that. Crazy, I would not want to go to my kids school and explain what I did for a living and have to state this.

Diane of WI 11:24AM January 13, 2009