Tired of vague or "overkill" research requests? Traditional models rely on gift officers to translate strategy into research deliverables, often leading to wasted time.
Stage-Based Research fixes this by mapping specific frontline needs to appropriate, right-sized intelligence at each donor cultivation stage. By prioritizing the purpose of the research, your team shifts from service provider to strategic partner, ensuring every effort is efficient, drives action, and scales your impact across the pipeline.
Fundraising thrives at the essential intersection of "art" and "science," where data informs strategy and empathy fuels connection. While the science involves using predictive tools, tracking engagement histories, and managing the prospect pipeline, the art is in crafting resonant messages, adapting conversations in real-time, and ensuring every donor feels valued. True success, however, emerges when these two worlds merge: when data insights are guided by empathy and when relationships are strengthened by research. Development professionals, especially those in prospect development, achieve maximum effectiveness by engaging in cross-training and building trust with frontline gift officers, allowing them to transform from behind-the-scenes researchers into holistic "thinking partners" who can anticipate needs, understand donor nuance, and ultimately build a deeper, more successful culture of philanthropy.
The University of Iowa Center for Advancement transformed its fundraising strategy with a data-driven goal-setting system that balances collaboration, performance and adaptability. Based on the Plug In to Metrics 2023 presentation "Metrics 201: Refining Metrics Over Time," the team shares lessons from their innovative approach to metrics to inspire your own organization’s success.