Learn. Innovate. Connect.
About Prospect Research Institute
The Prospect Research Institute is a vibrant, online learning community that provides high-quality educational content, the opportunity to connect with peers, and an outlet for new ideas in the field of nonprofit fundraising research.
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!
Prospect Research Institute
Curated. Creative. Shared.
We offer rigorous and engaging educational content that prepares prospect development professionals step-by-step for their work in prospect research, fundraising analytics, and relationship management. Our offerings are…
- Curated | We close the self-learning gaps by providing comprehensive trainings built by practitioners in the field.
- Creative | Learning doesn’t have to be boring! Real-world examples, a flexible learning structure, and multi-media ensures content is engaging and current.
- Shared | People come to prospect research from all kinds of backgrounds, college degrees, and experiences. Because of this, each training develops content that is shared with the industry.
Join the Community
Elevate your career by joining a thriving community of fundraising professionals. As a member, you’ll gain access to exclusive resources, expert coaching, and peer support to help you tackle challenges and advance your skills. Don’t navigate the complexities of prospect management alone—become a member today and connect with experts who are ready to help you succeed!
Elevating your Prospect Research career
Prospect Research Team
Jennifer J. Filla
As President of Prospect Research Institute she is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Institute and overseeing the content creation and delivery of all educational offerings. She is also CEO and Founder of Aspire Research Group LLC . Learn more
Email Jen | 727 202 3405 x700 | Skype: jenniferfilla | LinkedIn | Twitter
Crystal Dutton
As the Membership Coordinator at the Prospect Research Institute, Crystal provides support to members and ensures everything runs smoothly. Her background includes work in customer relations, training and development assistance, and office management support. Crystal earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of South Florida.
Email Crystal | 727 202 3405 x705 | LinkedIn
Gayla Scrivener
As Marketing Manager at the Prospect Research Institute, Gayla makes sure all things marketing perform, including email, events, content management, and beyond! She has over 20 years of experience working for both large and small companies in managerial roles. Gayla is also the owner of Scrivener Solutions. She loves helping businesses reach their potential!
Email Gayla | 727 202 3405 x702 | LinkedIn | Twitter
Words from happy Researchers
Success Stories
★★★★★
The Profile Peer Review program offers a great opportunity to test the quality of your work as a prospect researcher. I’ve been in the field for eight years; the experience level of the class ranged from beginner to advanced. Jen kept the atmosphere friendly and kind, so when we were looking over each other’s work, it always felt supportive, like we were learning together, not critiquing. I appreciated having peers researching the same person as I, holding my techniques accountable, revealing areas of weakness, and sharing tools to enhance success. I also witnessed how much the format of research affects how it is read and understood. Finding quality content is only the first step; writing and presenting it in a way that is mindful of one’s reader is equally important.
Neil Di Maggio
2014 – Profile Peer Review Program
★★★★★
The Capacity Ratings Workshop was the second course I completed with Jen through the Prospect Research Institute. I had never really had much training on capacity ratings even though I’ve been doing prospect research for almost 7 years. Strategic proactive prospect identification hadn’t been a priority at my organization until the arrival of a new Vice President last year.
I enrolled in the workshop hoping to learn how to assign a basic preliminary capacity rating and be able to do it quickly, since I am a shop of one. I was also looking for guidance on the most effective way to educate gift officers about ratings being initial guides or estimates. I wasn’t disappointed in either regard. The tools and resources Jen presented, combined with the knowledge and experience of the other participants, were tremendously helpful!
Stephanie Hughes, MI
★★★★★
Thank you! The event went very well – we created a presentation focused on “The Anatomy of a Profile” and spent time talking through each broad category, with a deep dive on assets and wealth indicators. It seemed to work well with the lecture format, and I know the participants are eager to read through the parts of the workbook we did not cover in person.
We followed the Lagomasino example throughout the day, and it was very helpful to have a full profile to reference. After we finished the lecture portion of the workshop, we had participants break into groups and create their best event brief for Ms. Lagomasino, using information in the profile. I think they enjoyed it! We asked everyone to share why they chose the selected information.
All said, it was a great day! Thank you for your wonderful workbooks!
Lindsey Humphrey
elevate your prospect research skills
Featured Courses
Have you taken generic webinars or a research boot camp and still found yourself struggling to apply what you’ve learned to real-world situations? This is exactly why we created training that offers step-by-step, practical instruction designed to address the unique challenges you face on the job. Check out our most popular courses below.
Essentials for Successful Fundraising Research
A primer for the field, you learn how to identify good prospects, perform profile research, and track prospects using prospect management techniques. It’s based on the techniques I have used providing prospect research to organizations for more than a decade. A lot has changed over the years and in this course, I share with you how I’ve given the fundraisers I work with an information edge.
Introduction to Prospect Profiles
Insider Stock & Compensation
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