Finding Access People is Key to Advance Major Gifts
By Gil Israeli, Director of Prospect Research and Senior Writer, American Technion Society
Currently, appearing in APRA’s online magazine Connections, Volume 25, 1-Q1. The article is a review of Israeli’s session at APRA’s International Conference, August 2013.
Years ago, a fundraiser send me a research request with minimal data: an individual’s name and residence. He noted (with an exclamation point) that the family foundation had assets exceeding $100 million. Responding too quickly, I reviewed the list of grants for the past three years and placed each gift in one of three categories that I had decided represented the foundation’s giving: higher education, medical causes and social welfare. I generated statistics on the foundation’s interests and multi-year giving trends. Then, I listed board members, contributors to the foundation and changes in their investments. I sent this insightful research to the fundraiser and his response was to the point: “Great stuff, but what I need to know is how to access the foundation president.”
To download the entire issue click here: APRA – Connections Vol. 25, No. 1: Q1 2014
Additional articles in this issue include…
Relationship Mapping: Hot New Tools and Techniques, By Jennifer Fila
Thinker’s Game: Maximizing Data Analysis Through Critical Thinking, By Ashutosh Nandeshwar, PhD
Fundraising Compass 