Prospect researchers often face intense pressure 60 days before the end of the year. While the default instinct is to acquire new donors, this approach is often inefficient and costly. Instead, organizations should shift to an upgrade mindset by mining their current database for "Loyal Lowballers" and "Lapsed Giants". By identifying the intersection of behavioral, capacity, and affinity signals, researchers can deliver a high-impact shortlist of 25 to 50 donors who already possess established trust.
In the latest Connections article, Jennifer Moody explores how the Epstein files catalyzed a crucial shift in prospect development. While the headlines faded, the urgent need for robust due diligence and gift acceptance policies remained. Discover how these structured frameworks protect institutional reputations, promote fundraising equity and remove individual bias.
In the wake of the disappearance of institutional DEI initiatives across higher education and healthcare, prospect development professionals can still actively embody inclusive principles. In the latest Connections article, Anthony Parrish of the Apra DEIBJA Committee shares discrete, actionable steps researchers can take in their daily workflow. From driving diverse prospect discovery and checking real estate data biases to adjusting capacity rating models and identifying "left-out" constituencies for engagement, small changes can make a major impact.