“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 gifts

Transformative Gift Opportunity with Family Offices

by Aspire Research Group
November 4, 2025December 12, 2025
Major Gift Teams

The number of family offices and their investable wealth has exploded over the past few years, but that isn’t the… Read More »Transformative Gift Opportunity with Family Offices

Unmasking Prospects: Live Research Showdown with Generative A.I.—Love It or Hate It!

by Crystal Dutton
October 14, 2025October 21, 2025

Are you ready to challenge your assumptions and expand your toolkit? In this high-energy session, you’ll witness real-time prospect research as our presenters put… Read More »Unmasking Prospects: Live Research Showdown with Generative A.I.—Love It or Hate It!

Hiring Your First Major Gift Officer? Leverage Prospect Research!

by Crystal Dutton
October 14, 2025

Jennifer Filla joins the Nonprofit Impact Summits: Gather for Growth where she will lead a powerful session titled “Hiring Your… Read More »Hiring Your First Major Gift Officer? Leverage Prospect Research!

How $83 Trillion Could Disrupt Traditional Fundraising – And What you Can Do About It

by Jennifer Filla
October 1, 2025October 1, 2025
Major Gift Teams

Why Your Next Major Donor Won’t Look Like Your Last: We’re standing at the edge of the largest wealth transfer… Read More »How $83 Trillion Could Disrupt Traditional Fundraising – And What you Can Do About It

Success alert! Start individual giving with major gifts and this trusty side-kick

by Jennifer Filla
September 1, 2025September 2, 2025
Research in Fundraising

Your board chair just cornered you after the meeting. “We need to focus on major gifts,” she declares. “We don’t… Read More »Success alert! Start individual giving with major gifts and this trusty side-kick

Stop Chasing Strangers: The Major Gift Strategy That’s Hiding in Plain Sight

by Jennifer Filla
August 1, 2025July 5, 2026
Prospect Identification

You need $1.5 million for your new program. The board meeting is next month. The president is breathing down your… Read More »Stop Chasing Strangers: The Major Gift Strategy That’s Hiding in Plain Sight

Family Offices 101: What They Are and How They Manage Wealth

by Crystal Dutton
July 2, 2025

As the ranks of the ultra-wealthy keep growing, family offices are on the rise. Come and discover what a family… Read More »Family Offices 101: What They Are and How They Manage Wealth

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

Common Misconceptions about Company Insiders

by Aspire Research Group
April 2, 2025September 2, 2025
Profiles, Research in Fundraising

We’ve talked about why we should care about company insiders, and we’ve talked about why those news reports about CEO… Read More »Common Misconceptions about Company Insiders

Behind the Headlines: Did Tim Cook really make $74.6M in 2024?

by Aspire Research Group
March 1, 2025March 28, 2025
Major Gift Teams

In 2025, Hollywood Reporter’s headline reported “Apple CEO Tim Cook’s Pay Rises to $74.6M.” That’s an impressive amount for anyone… Read More »Behind the Headlines: Did Tim Cook really make $74.6M in 2024?