Best-Kept-Secret Career: Prospect Researcher

By Marty Nemko

Posted: December 11, 2008

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.

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Another great prospect research tool

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 @ Nov 18, 2009 17:49:56 PM

ideas?

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 @ Jun 25, 2009 11:47:14 AM

What people take away from a short description of careers.

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 @ Jan 13, 2009 19:34:34 PM

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