At Aspire we hope you’re going crazy this December with an overwhelming response to Giving Tuesday, fielding major donors that want to give before December 31, and weaving big fundraising dreams for 2026. That’s why we’ve put together our top five most popular blogs for you as quick, clickable reads you can squeeze in when you take a well-deserved break.
Because, like a well-seasoned prospect researcher who can spot a seven-figure prospect from three donor databases away, we’ve been quietly publishing insights longer than most people have been worrying about their Spotify Wrapped stats!
Here’s what resonated most with readers like you in 2025:
1.How $83 Trillion Could Disrupt Traditional Fundraising – And What You Can Do About It
We’re standing at the edge of the largest wealth transfer in history—and most organizations aren’t ready. This piece became our runaway hit of the year, and for good reason: it tackled the seismic shift that’s about to fundamentally reshape philanthropy.
$83 trillion is moving from Baby Boomers to Gen X and Millennials. Your next major donor won’t look like your last. They won’t give like your last. And if you’re still building prospect pools the way you did five years ago, you’re already behind. We broke down what this transfer really means and gave you actionable strategies to pivot now.
💡 Perfect for prospect researchers building tomorrow’s pipeline and fundraisers ready to evolve beyond traditional donor cultivation.
2.Common Misconceptions about Company Insiders
Tired of staring at SEC filings and wondering if those stock option numbers mean what you think they mean? You weren’t alone. This myth-busting post became essential reading for anyone who’s ever had to explain insider compensation to a gift officer (or a board member who thinks every executive is sitting on liquid millions).
We walked through the most persistent misconceptions about how insiders are actually compensated, what those reported figures really represent, and why context matters more than the headline number. Because confident capacity ratings start with understanding the nuances.
💡 Perfect for researchers who want to stop second-guessing themselves and start making ask recommendations backed by solid analysis.
3.Behind the Headlines: Did Tim Cook Really Make $74.6M in 2024?
Those eye-popping CEO compensation headlines make great cocktail party conversation, but terrible prospect research. We took Tim Cook’s reported compensation as a case study to decode the difference between reported compensation, realized income, and actual liquidity.
Spoiler alert: they’re not the same thing. And understanding the breakdown is what separates surface-level screening from the kind of sophisticated capacity assessment that leads to successful seven-figure asks.
💡 Perfect for anyone who’s ever had to explain to leadership why that proxy statement doesn’t tell the whole wealth story.
4.Transformative Gift Opportunity with Family Offices
Family offices aren’t just having a moment—they’re rewriting the rules of ultra-high-net-worth philanthropy. As wealth becomes more concentrated and families seek greater control over their giving strategies, family offices have emerged as the players you can’t afford to ignore.
This post explored what makes family office philanthropy different, how to identify these opportunities in your pipeline, and why understanding this landscape has moved from “nice to know” to “essential for landing transformational gifts.”
💡 Perfect for fundraisers and researchers targeting ultra-wealth individuals and ready to speak the language of family office decision-makers.
5.Summer 2025 Fundraising Reading List
Sometimes the best resource we can offer is a shortcut to other great resources. Our curated summer reading list became your go-to guide for professional development worth the investment of your limited time.
From data analytics to donor psychology to emerging prospect research techniques, we rounded up the books, articles, and resources that would actually make you better at your job. And judging by the engagement, you appreciated having someone else do the vetting.
💡 Perfect for continuous learners who know that staying excellent means staying current—and who’d rather skip the mediocre content.
Google Analytics Says… Our Readers Have Excellent Taste
These five posts didn’t just rack up page views—they sparked strategy sessions, changed approaches, and earned permanent spots in browser bookmarks across the sector. They tackled real challenges with practical solutions that helped you research deeper, ask smarter, and raise more.
What’s Next for 2026?
Stay tuned for 2026 Prospect Research Institute workshops inspired by you, such as…
- Crafting prospect strategy in profiles and with development officers
- Upgrade capacity ratings for the K-Shaped economy
- Navigating as a solo researcher
- And SEC ADV and Form 13F filings, prospecting, and careers
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Thank you for making 2025 a year of growth, insight, and real conversation. Your questions push us to dig deeper. Your challenges inspire us to find better answers. Your wins remind us why this work matters.