Happy Prospect Development Pride Month! In this Connections article, Apra Foundation President Stephanie Willis celebrates the legacy of the month and issues a call to action for the community. Originally sparked by a 2014 article by Helen Brown, PD Pride has become a vital time for the Apra community to advocate for the profession and celebrate the individuals driving philanthropy.
With professional development budgets tightening across the industry, the Apra Foundation provides essential scholarships, awards, and grants to ensure career growth remains accessible. For 2026, the Foundation has set an ambitious goal to raise at least $8,000 to sustain these programs. Your contribution can go twice as far thanks to a March matching gift challenge, and President Stephanie Willis has even pledged to donate an additional $1 for every unique donor who participates this month, regardless of gift size
Couldn’t make the conference or listen to the recording? No need for FOMO! This article brings the conference experience to you!
The 2025 Apra Debates focused on three critical prospect development issues: data access for fundraisers, the problem of too much data, and AI readiness. Debaters weighed data transparency against the need for expert interpretation, and the strategic value of comprehensive data against the risk of "analysis paralysis." While the audience leaned toward compromise on access and adopted an optimistic view of AI, the session underscored a core theme: prospect development professionals must remain strategic, adaptable, and focused on continuous learning to navigate the evolving industry landscape successfully.
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.