“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.

research assessment

Does Your Research and Prospect Management Program Need an Assessment? Here’s the Candid Answer

by Jennifer Filla
August 1, 2026July 29, 2026
Managing Research, Research in Fundraising

The short answer: if your major gifts program is sputtering — missed goals, capacity ratings nobody can explain, a research… Read More »Does Your Research and Prospect Management Program Need an Assessment? Here’s the Candid Answer