“Every capital campaign requires a unique blend between the art and science of philanthropy. Our campaign cabinet had been working on 25 top prospects- we knew them, they knew us- but we had no idea what to ask for. By accessing a wide array of public information, Aspire Research helped us verify the interest and capacity of several prospects and confirmed that no public information was available on the rest. Aspire provides us with good data, the science, which we are using to build stronger relationships- the art of philanthropy.”

Steve Dickie, Oklahoma Methodist Manor

Prospect Research for Fundraisers: The Essential Handbook

Jen Filla, president of Aspire Research Group, teamed up with Helen Brown to write Prospect Research for Fundraisers: The Essential Handbook.

“Congratulations to the authors on producing a book that should be in every development officer’s library.” -Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE

From essential overviews to how-to-search skills, this practical book gives the development team the tools to understand how to use prospect research in ways that best fit their goals for each stage of the fundraising cycle.

major gift

Why Should We Care About Corporate Giving

by Aspire Research Group
June 2, 2025September 2, 2025
Research in Fundraising

In the most recent Giving USA report, corporations only gave a 4%, compared to 67% from individuals, 19% from foundations,… Read More »Why Should We Care About Corporate Giving

Misconceptions of Prospect Management

by Aspire Research Group
May 1, 2025April 29, 2025
Prospect Management

We’ve likely heard the phrase “prospect management” before in meetings and conferences. But what exactly is it? And what is… Read More »Misconceptions of Prospect Management

Why Insiders?

by Aspire Research Group
February 4, 2025March 28, 2025
Major Gift Teams, Prospect Identification

We may have heard the phrase “company insider” before but it may not be clear what it means. It definitely… Read More »Why Insiders?

Five Things That the Disney Movie Frozen Taught Me About Prospect Management

by Aspire Research Group
September 2, 2024March 28, 2025
Prospect Management

Any parent of a toddler is likely to have seen the Disney film Frozen several times. As I was watching… Read More »Five Things That the Disney Movie Frozen Taught Me About Prospect Management

Top 5 Misconceptions of Prospect Identification

by Aspire Research Group
August 1, 2024March 28, 2025
Prospect Identification

Finding new major gift prospects can be a real challenge. You do not want to keep asking for gifts from… Read More »Top 5 Misconceptions of Prospect Identification

5 Reasons Why You Can’t Find a Prospect’s Giving

by Aspire Research Group
June 10, 2024March 28, 2025
Profiles

When meeting a new prospect, it’s quite exhilarating to find out that they are philanthropic and have given generously to… Read More »5 Reasons Why You Can’t Find a Prospect’s Giving

Will a Wealth Screening Really Help Me?

by Aspire Contributor
May 11, 2024October 18, 2024
Research in Fundraising

When you are looking to find qualified major gift prospects in your database, want to segment your donor database for… Read More »Will a Wealth Screening Really Help Me?

Review of Charitable Giving by Affluent Households – Part 2

by Aspire Research Group
January 4, 2024March 28, 2025
Reports and Trends, Research in Fundraising

The report was full of so much valuable information, we decided to split it into two blog posts.

Fishing for Prospects: The Promise of Validations

by Aspire Research Group
October 31, 2023March 28, 2025
Profiles, Prospect Identification

Finding new prospects is often compared to fishing. You throw out a proverbial net and hopefully get an incredible number… Read More »Fishing for Prospects: The Promise of Validations

Introducing Volatile Opportunity: A Guide to Cryptocurrency and Fundraising

by Aspire Research Group
August 27, 2023March 28, 2025
Aspire News, Prospect Identification, Reports and Trends, Research in Fundraising

By Elisa Shoenberger

It’s been a bumpy road for cryptocurrency over the past year. In 2021, cryptocurrency did not seem to have any limit to its heights but in 2022, the crash came. Many predicted it was the end of crypto. But 2023 has been an interesting year with the price of Bitcoin rising again. The Giving Block, a full-service crypto exchange solution provider, predicts that over $1B in cryptocurrencies will have been donated by 2027. Boston Consulting Group forecasts that the crypto market will grow significantly by 2030.