Prospect research

Gifted Philanthropy’s approach to Prospect Research

Any fundraising plan will involve an amount of prospect research. Prospects, or potential givers, are very different from the ‘suspects’ that often crop up during the prospect-listing process. A genuine prospect, is someone with both the potential and motivation to give to your organisation. All too often, charities begin by scouring the Rich List and other such publications and simply make a list of the wealthiest people in their region or target area. What the majority fail to realise is that simply contacting these individuals or organisations out of the blue will not result in major gifts success, no matter how worthy your cause.

Nurturing your prospects

It's common sense that prospective donors need time and cultivation before they will be ready to give. At Gifted Philanthropy, we believe in taking the time that’s needed to properly identify your prospective givers, before the process of further engaging them in your vision takes place. The first step of prospect identification usually begins during a feasibility study and is an important part of any fundraising action plan. To learn more about this process, please visit our Services page or get in touch with any specific queries.

Investing in research

Gifted Philanthropy’s team of consultants are also skilled in surveying prospect databases and undertaking external research to uncover the potential support from grant-making trusts and foundations. Our prospect researchers are clearly briefed on the nature and scope of your project before the process begins. We use our decades of experience to develop strong prospect lists, which in the long-term can lead to major gifts and successful grant applications to regional and national trusts and foundations.

Engaging professional support

It is so important for charities not to skip the vital first steps in prospect research. If you’d like to explore how to identify potential givers to support your organisation and learn more about prospect classification and cultivation, get in touch for an informal chat with one of our Directors.