Harness the Power of Research

Constituent research (or what some organizations call prospect research) is a powerful and useful tool that is valuable in prioritizing effort with prospective donors and developing fundraising strategies. When you’re embarking on constituent research (or putting a research request to your on-staff or freelance/contracted constituent researcher), the first question to consider is: How much research do you actually need?

“But wait!” some might say. “Isn’t more constituent research always better?” Not necessarily. In fact, having more constituent research than necessary can actually impede building a relationship with your donors. If you have a multi-page, very detailed constituent research profile prior to the first meeting with an individual, you already know a lot about them, so what will you talk about?

Here are some details on three common types of constituent research profiles, and the times when they may be appropriate:

Constituent Snapshot

A constituent research snapshot is appropriate for occasions where there may be a high volume of constituents that you will need basic information about, such as a gala or other event. The information here is basic, one to two paragraphs, and can often largely or completely be developed from data in your organization’s database; completion time per individual should be 15-20 minutes or less.This information may include:

• A photo for identification purposes
• Constituent name (and location, if constituents will be from a variety of geographical locations)
• Spouse’s/partner’s name, if applicable (or name of guests, if the constituent is bringing guests to the event)
• Current business information, if applicable
• Current board memberships/civic or volunteer commitments
• Any large philanthropic gifts, if this information is commonly known

Questions for Reflection:

• How can we ensure we’re capturing the most relevant information within a limited timeframe?
• For events or high-volume outreach, what basic details will help our team connect meaningfully without overwhelming them with information?

Constituent Briefing

A constituent research briefing is typically one to two pages. This document is appropriate for early-stage meetings with the constituent, where you are just getting to know the individual and building a cultivation strategy. It is typically completed after the individual has had a wealth screening (or a wealth screening is conducted during the process of preparing the briefing). Completion time per individual should be 30-60 minutes, depending on the resources available (this completion time assumes the availability of wealth screening tools). The information in a constituent research briefing may include:

• A photo of the individual
• Name and contact information
• Spouse’s/partner’s name and current business information, if applicable
• Current and former business information (positions and dates)
• Educational information
• Current and former board memberships/civic or volunteer commitments
• Any substantive philanthropic gifts, as identified from wealth screening
• Giving capacity and wealth indicators, as identified from wealth screening
• Summary of giving history to your organization (first/last/largest gift, cumulative giving)
• Possible funding interests/insights

Questions for Reflection:

• What insights from the briefing can inform our first engagement approach with this donor?
• How can we use wealth screening and giving history to understand their capacity and align it with our mission?

Comprehensive Constituent Profile

A comprehensive constituent research profile is reserved for late-stage constituents, especially those with an imminent planned solicitation. It is typically at least three to five pages long and takes a minimum of four to six hours to complete (assuming the availability of wealth screening tools). The information in a comprehensive profile may include:

• A photograph
• Name and contact information
• Spouse’s/partner’s name and educational and business history, if applicable. Information on parents, siblings, adult children, and other relatives when applicable and available.
• Current and former business history, including positions, dates, and highlights of employment (facilitating mergers, volume of business deals, etc.). If the individual owns a company, financial details on that company and any corporate philanthropy.
• Educational information
• Current and former board memberships/civic or volunteer commitments
• Any philanthropic gifts of any amount (or unspecified amount), as identified from wealth screening
• Capacity ratings
• Wealth indicators with itemized details (i.e., details on individual real estate properties, etc.)
• Private foundation grant making details, if applicable (most recent asset amount, most recent grant amount, largest grants in most recent year)
• Possible fundraising interests/insights
• Links to news, articles, and/or interviews with the individual, when available and applicable

Questions for Reflection:

• What aspects of this donor’s history and interests align closely with our organizational goals?
• How can this in-depth knowledge enhance our approach to be both personalized and impactful?

Now that you are familiar with some different types of constituent research documents and the appropriate times to develop them, you can prioritize your constituent research projects to maximize your time and resources. You may also develop intermediate types of constituent research documents—for example, for constituents who need more than a briefing but less than a comprehensive profile. Happy researching!