“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.

prospect management

The Apra Authors Panel: Stories Behind the Books

by Aspire Research Group
June 29, 2026July 20, 2026

Join us for an engaging virtual webinar featuring Apra leaders and authors Marianne Pelletier, Ruth Giles, Sarah Marcotte, Katherine Scott,… Read More »The Apra Authors Panel: Stories Behind the Books

The Organization That Said ‘Hold My Coffee’ to Industry Standards: Hear a first-hand account of bridging the gap between industry standards and organizational truth

by Crystal Dutton
June 24, 2026June 24, 2026

It’s a common story. You are excited to take a new job because you can shape and grow research and… Read More »The Organization That Said ‘Hold My Coffee’ to Industry Standards: Hear a first-hand account of bridging the gap between industry standards and organizational truth

Monkey in the Middle: A.I. Tug of War in Fundraising Research

by Crystal Dutton
March 20, 2026July 1, 2026

You’ve seen the debate play out. On one end of the rope: people convinced A.I. will upend everything we know… Read More »Monkey in the Middle: A.I. Tug of War in Fundraising Research

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

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

How to Unlock the Major Gift Magic in Profiles and Capacity Ratings

by Aspire Research Group
July 22, 2022September 30, 2024
Major Gift Teams, Profiles, Prospect Identification

It happens. You get that profile and say to yourself, “Well, I knew all THAT,” or you take one look… Read More »How to Unlock the Major Gift Magic in Profiles and Capacity Ratings