Identity and Blackness in Prospect Development

You may know Joan Ogwumike as the author for the past four years of the blog, A Researcher’s Diary, but she is also the writer of the Apra-Illinois blog as well as Prospect Research Associate at the Obama Foundation. Although small in number, Black prospect development professionals deserve an opportunity to share experiences and knowledge pertaining to diversity, inclusion […]

People who have more money can give more away

That’s a truism. You obviously have to have some spare cash if you are going to support a charity, but what makes this a particularly interesting point is the recent report from the Governor of the Bank of England, where he explains that saving deposits have increased in value by over £125 billion during the […]

Don’t Waste Your Time on Networking Events

Large, traditional business networking events are a time-honored institution. They have been a staple of aspiring and successful professionals for so long that most networking advice focuses not on whether you should attend, but on how to make the most of these events when you do attend. In theory, they’re one of the best ways […]

The permission to ask ask

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of working with Tess Nixon Spiller. She wrote this blog at the time and when I first read it, it felt to me she was a magician who had just lifted the lid on their most successful magic trick. It just blew me away… “so that is […]

5 Ways to Create Meaningful Connections in a Virtual World

This list was initially created by Dr Andrea Dinardo for students embarking on a new career during covid-19 but it is equally useful for fundraisers trying to make online connections with new supporters. It also includes EQ techniques helpful for everyone. Find out more here: https://drandreadinardo.com/2021/02/09/meaningful-online-connections/

“If You Can’t Measure It, You Can’t Manage It” – Using Metrics to Strengthen Your Fundraising Program

It is common knowledge that to effectively manage donor relationships and see the greatest success in your fundraising program, you must build strong ties between your prospects and your organization’s mission. Relationships will always be the foundation of a fruitful fundraising program. But, you can’t build a relationship on metrics. While relationships have and will […]

How to Network with Powerful People

How do you get the attention of powerful people you want in your network, but are the least likely to respond? Senior executives are busy, see less value spending time with someone lower on the hierarchy, and are likely to miss or ignore requests through email or social media. Michael C. Wenderoth is an Associate […]

5 Tips to make the most of your virtual major donor meetings

Virtual meetings are here to stay and open up a great opportunity, even after lockdown, for your charity to connect with potential donors wherever they are in the world. They also make it more likely some donors will agree to meet – no travel and less time commitment in their busy week. If you’ve secured […]

What causes do billionaires donate to?

Philanthropy is billionaires’ favorite pastime, but the world’s richest people don’t support all causes equally, according to Wealth-X’s 2019 Billionaire Census. The causes they choose are influenced by a variety of factors. American billionaires traditionally fund new buildings or departments at their alma maters, Wealth-X reported, while some billionaires prefer to donate to causes that […]

How to Conduct Meaningful Virtual Visits and Asks

The reemergence of another wave of COVID-19 and additional stay-at-home recommendations signify the ongoing importance of productive virtual donor visits. Unlike in-person visits, virtual visits require additional preparation and thoughtfulness to truly replicate the in-person experience. Despite the extra preparation, virtual meetings save organizations a lot of time and money. Just think about how many […]