NEDRACon 2026 Encore Session #2 - Weeding the Data Jungle: How to Find Hidden Gems in Wealth Screening Results

NEDRACon 2026 Encore Session #2

Weeding the Data Jungle: How to Find Hidden Gems in Wealth Screening Results

Thursday, October 1 2026

1:00PM- 2:00PM  ET

Online 

Learning Objectives: 

•  Learn how to turn overwhelming wealth screening data into an intuitive, visual framework that helps teams find hidden gems, prioritize prospects, and empower gift officers to take action
• Participants will leave with concepts they can adapt within their own CRMs and screening tools, along with practical ideas for using data visualization to support confident, effective prospect management

As fundraising shops prepare for campaigns and strategic growth, wealth screening has become a critical but often overwhelming tool. In fall 2025, Skidmore College conducted two large-scale screenings as part of campaign readiness: a DonorSearch screening of approximately 50,000 constituents and a ResearchPoint screening through Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge that returned demographic and predictive data on more than 100,000 active records. The result was an abundance of information, including DonorSearch tiers and numerous wealth demographics, ResearchPoint MGL, PGL, AGL, and Velocity scores, and a wide range of overlapping indicators intended to inform prospect strategy. With so many scores available, prospect management became more complicated rather than more effective. Prospect Research was increasingly relied upon to interpret the data rather than to enable frontline decision-making. This session shares how we moved from data overload to a simple, shared, and actionable framework by developing four clear and unbiased prospect quadrants: Champions, Hidden Gems, Loyalists, and Dormant. Rather than memorizing definitions of multiple external scores, staff could quickly see where prospects fell and what type of action was most appropriate. Prospect Research shifted from constant list management to higher-value strategy and partnership. Using slides, graphics, and real examples, this session will explore how to transform overwhelming wealth screening data into an intuitive, visual framework that helps teams find hidden gems, prioritize prospects, and empower gift officers to take action.

PRESENTERS:

Emily Marcason-Tolmie, Senior Director, Skidmore College
Emily has her MA and MFA and has worked in prospect development for nearly 20 years. She is an expert in prospect management, proactive and reactive research, analytical procedures, and trend forecasting, while focused on successfully building robust prospect pipelines, predictive donor modeling, and key fundraising metrics. Emily regularly gives presentations about prospect research and data visualization for APRA and AFP chapters around the country, as well as for the DonorSearch Philanthropy Mastermind series. Dedicated to the field of prospect research and management, Emily served on the APRA-NY board for several years, including as the chapter’s elected president throughout the COVID pandemic. It was under her leadership that the chapter grew into one of the most active in the nation. She is a graduate of St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, while also holding two master’s degrees from Southern New Hampshire University.

Taha Bhatti, Data Analyst, Skidmore College

In addition to being a Data Analyst, Taha is also a BI Developer at Skidmore College, where he builds reporting infrastructure and predictive models that help the institution make better use of its data. Outside of his institutional role, he works as a consultant in the AI space, developing custom tools and data-driven solutions for organizations looking to apply emerging technologies to real business problems. His interest in data and its practical applications traces back to his undergraduate years at Skidmore College, where he earned a double major in Business Management and Economics with a minor in Entrepreneurship. During that time he completed internships with HiveWorx and founded Ur Space, gaining hands-on experience in data analytics. He also partnered with a fellow student to place first in their track at the NYS Business Plan Competition in the Capital District, after finishing second overall in Skidmore’s Freirich Business Plan Competition.

COST:

$25 Members

$50 Non-Members

LOCATION:

This program will be held as a Zoom meeting.  Attendees will receive a Zoom link a day before the event. The program will not be recorded.  

DEADLINES:

Deadline for registration will be Wednesday, September 30 at 3PM.