Simply put, prospect research is the identification of, and subsequent research into, prospective major donors and influencers - individuals, trusts and companies - with a view to maximising their support for your organisation.
It involves the gathering and analysis of biographical, financial, corporate and philanthropic information from a wide variety of sources, both publicly available and those unique to your organisation (such as your supporter database).
Prospect research is invariably time-consuming and complex, as each piece of research needs to be tailored to the individual prospect being researched and relevant to the requirements of your organisation, but it is a proven cost-effective way of raising significant funds.
You can learn more about prospect research from the following articles:
What is Prospect Research? By Mathew Iredale
The Rise and Rise of Prospect Research by Rebecca Funnell and Corrie Darker
Prospect Research: Finally Coming of Age by Matt Ide
Prospect Researchers for Advancement from the APRA website
