What does it really mean to qualify a prospect? Janet Weimar, Executive Director of Prospect Development at the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, offers a definition so simple it’s brilliant: You’ve met with the prospect, and you plan to make an ask within three years.
With a career that began as a records clerk at the UI Foundation, Janet’s journey through the world of advancement has been hands-on and full-spectrum—from data entry to leading large-scale, strategic overhauls.
She spent nearly a decade in prospect research before taking on management roles at UnityPoint Health, where she gained experience in grateful patient fundraising. When the opportunity arose, she returned to the University of Iowa in 2015, bringing a renewed perspective and a vision for a more efficient, data-informed, and collaborative fundraising operation.
Janet spearheaded a bold nine-month overhaul of the university’s major gift portfolio strategy. The initiative introduced streamlined qualification criteria, data-informed KPIs, and self-service reporting dashboards—all designed to support fundraisers and leadership alike. Her approach emphasizes transparency, team-based strategy, and respect for fundraisers’ time and expertise.
It turns out, fundraising doesn’t have to be a juggling act with a bloated portfolio of 150 names, many of whom are just “someday” maybes. Instead, Iowa created a clean system with three categories:
- Qualified prospects (you’re actively working with them)
- On-deck prospects (next in line)
- Stewardship contacts (you’re maintaining relationships post-gift)
Their team even built a dashboard that allows gift officers to search and sort through top prospects by affinity, geography, and giving history—so they can keep their pipeline fresh without hoarding names. It’s a game-changer in day-to-day efficiency and confidence.
Janet is a big believer in open qualification—allowing multiple fundraisers to engage the same prospect when appropriate, making sure no one slips through the cracks. Her story is a reminder that when your CRM, your strategy, and your team are aligned, fundraising really does become a team sport.
Connect
- Connect with Janet on LinkedIn