Articles that inspire
Prospect Research Edge
Kickstart Your Career
If you’re just starting in fundraising research and prospect management, our Career Agent Training is the perfect first step. Designed for beginners, this program gives you the foundational knowledge and practical skills to navigate the world of prospect research with confidence. With expert-led instruction, real-world examples, and hands-on practice, you’ll learn how to identify top donor prospects, manage data effectively, and grow your career from day one. Start strong with training that sets you up for success!
Stepping into Prospect Management with Kelyn Klein
If you have to accomplish something really big, you break it into little pieces and get started. But what if you have to define that really big project before you can even take your first step? This is what Kelyn Klein, Director of Prospect Research and Portfolio...
Diane Remin on Major Gift Fundraising at Small Nonprofits
At the Prospect Research Institute, we train researchers at nonprofits of all sizes and shapes. Some have a team of major gift fundraising professionals while some may have only one staff dedicated to individual giving. One thing we have learned over the years is that...
Talking Family Offices with Erik Hoover
Erik Hoover comes from the world of competitive intelligence. Although the industry is different, many of the research objectives are remarkably similar. When working in competitive intelligence, Erik tried to answer, “What motivates an investor to make significant...
Sphere of Influence Research with Chris Mildner
Chris Mildner, Prospect Research Analyst at The Nature Conservancy, has worked in higher education, healthcare, and now an environmental nonprofit, honing her skills and refining her research practices. One of the practices she has successfully implemented is Sphere...
Capital Campaign Success Secrets with Peggy Calhoun
Peggy Calhoun is a passionate, enthusiastic, and driven fundraiser. Among the first to receive the ACFRE designation, the highest level bestowed by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), she has spent more than 25 years helping organizations achieve their...
The Role of Profile Research in Corporate Fundraising with Tracy LaMondue
Which number sounds more impressive: 6% or $29.48 billion? According to Giving USA, corporate philanthropy was only 6% of total giving in 2022. But that translates to collective corporate giving of $29.48 billion. Companies may not be the largest source of donor...
Jim Langley on Using Research and Writing to Connect Better with Donors
Do you follow Jim Langley on LinkedIn? You should! He posts the best thoughts and visuals on major gift fundraising and fundraising in general. And I feel pretty confident that he is the one penning all those quips and quote-worthy phrases. Because as you’ll discover...
John Cerniglia shares stories and advice on getting the most out of prospect profiles
When I first started in prospect research, a profile was just a profile. There weren’t different kinds or different levels. I was the first person to hold the role of researcher in my organization and I learned as I went along. Which is exactly why I wanted to ask...
Unlock your Potential: Take the Fundraising Intelligence Agent Quiz
Are you looking for comprehensive job training? Want to excel in the field of fundraising prospect research? Whether you are trying to break into the field, just got hired on a team, or are a solo researcher supporting your organization, take this quiz to find out if...
The Democratizing Philanthropy Project with Kina Collins
If you could raise $2.3 million from one donor or $2.3 million from 61,508 donors, which would you choose? It’s kind of like asking whether you would prefer to take a magic diet pill to lose and keep off 20 pounds or spend the rest of your life doing moderate exercise...
Using AI for prospect research: an experiment
By Julia Bojarcik Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the new buzz word in the research world, and rightly so. There are many questions surrounding the use of AI in research. Can AI auto-generate quality profiles? Are sources used by AI to generate text reliable and...
Volunteering Research for Ukraine with Nilufa Begum
In 2022 Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and as the war has dragged on NGOs are no longer able to fundraise effectively in their own country. Suddenly, they must pivot and attract international donations. Early in 2023, Nilufa Begum responded to a...
Words from happy Researchers
Success Stories
★★★★★
I love your Master Class format – small group, clearly defined curriculum, solid professional information and resources and focus on discussion. But most importantly I was impressed and delighted to see that you incorporated an additional and extremely practical layer of knowledge, through hands on experience with tools (pivot tables) or resources (Candid). This adds real value to the educational experience you offer.
Betsy Mehlman
2020-Master Class
★★★★★
Jen’s course on insider stock and compensation was informative, interesting, and well-thought out. Jen broke down the complicated material into digestible pieces. She showed us resources that I use in my day-to-day research that I wouldn’t have otherwise known about. Jen is always quick to respond and has been helpful even after the class has ended. She answers questions thoroughly and is always pleasant.
I was able to take what I learned from the course and present the material to our front-line fundraisers. One fundraiser told me after my presentation that she discovered one of her donor’s compensation was much higher than she thought. So, already, this information has come in handy! Thanks again Jen!
Kim Anthony, San Francisco CA
Insider Stock and Compensation
★★★★★
The Capacity Rating Workshop was really useful. I was new to the prospect research field when I took the workshop, so it helped to demystify capacity ratings for me. The online classroom provided a great forum for interaction with the other participants and for a robust exchange of ideas. Beyond that though, Jen shared a wealth of information and resources about capacity ratings and other important aspects of prospect research. I highly recommend this workshop whether you’re new to the field or have years of experience in our profession.
David Lloyd, Prospect Research Professional, San Francisco, CA
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