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NEDRA NEWS
 

The NEDRA News blog features topical industry-specific articles submitted by our membership; book, publication, film, and resource reviews; op-ed pieces about emerging fundraising topics and issues; and information and news specifically related to NEDRA as an organization.  We hope these selections will be of interest to you - and we encourage you to share your thoughts and comments here!


NEDRA News was previously a quarterly journal of prospect research published by the New England Development Research Association from the organization's inception in 1987 until the end of 2011. Since 2012, we have continued to offer to you, our members, the same NEDRA News content you have come to rely on - but in a blog format tailored to meet the changing needs of our members, and featuring new content on a monthly (rather than quarterly) basis.


  • Fri, March 22, 2013 12:21 PM | Laura Parshall
    Click on the image below for more exciting information!


  • Fri, March 22, 2013 12:16 PM | Laura Parshall
    It won't be long now before the 2013 Annual Conference is upon us! As of Wednesday, March 20th, 93 people had registered for the conference. If you're planning to attend but haven't yet registered, you can do so on the conference page, here. Don't forget to register if you want to attend interesting and educational sessions like Joe Donnelly's Best Practices Panel on Campaign Planning, Don Lowman's session on prospect information management, or NEDRA President Amber Countis's session on Basic Training for the Development Officer/Researcher Relationship.

    We hope to see you in Boston next month!
  • Fri, March 22, 2013 12:10 PM | Laura Parshall
    Speaking of the relationship between development officers and fundraisers, Grace Chandonnet, Assistant Director of Prospect Research at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, has written an article to share some strategies on improving this relationship. If you've ever been frustrated in trying to communicate with a fundraiser, read on for some tips that will help smooth the way.

    We All Speak the Same Language – Communicating with Fundraisers for Prospect Researchers


    Prospect researchers and fundraisers ultimately have the same goal: to support the mission of our organization. Our day-to-day roles in this mission are very different, however, and we have very different areas of expertise. Also, while this is a generalization with many exceptions, we often have very different personalities and very different opinions. Taken together, these factors can lead to some friction between the two groups, making it harder to reach that common goal. All is not lost, though! Research and fundraising both require good communication skills, which we can use to overcome these differences and work together. In this article, I'm going to write about a few examples of issues where we might have friction with fundraisers, and demonstrate the communication techniques that can bring these situations to a satisfactory conclusion for all involved.


    Again, communication is key in conflict resolution (or, even better, conflict avoidance). When tackling a research request, the first thing I do is talk to the fundraiser who has asked for research. During that conversation, it is my responsibility as a researcher to find out exactly what information the fundraiser thinks he or she needs, and also, what he or she already knows about the prospect. A research request from a fundraiser is often an open-ended request for information, and sometimes does not include the information that the fundraiser might have already gleaned from a physician, a Dean, or from the prospect himself. Sometimes this information can save us researchers time by sending us down the correct path at the outset. For instance, when a prospect has a very common name, as a starting point it is extremely helpful to know what town they live in, or their age, or middle initial. Right off the bat, this can save us lots of time trying to figure out which person it is that we are researching. Sometimes, the Dean may have known the prospect from a previous position, and may have told the fundraiser that they made a large gift there – then we can go right to the source, or if we still can’t document the gift, we can mention it anecdotally in our research. So, my first rule of thumb is: Find out what the fundraiser knows.


    The flip side is that a fundraiser may already know that the prospect has capacity and inclination, but in order to move forward with a strategy, what she really needs to know is whether the prospect is very involved with another organization or paying off a large pledge somewhere else. If this is the case, then we can complete this request much more efficiently than if we always assume that the fundraiser wants soup- to-nuts research. Second rule of thumb: Figure out what the fundraiser needs, which may not necessarily be what he or she asked for in the original request.

    Another benefit of regularly having conversations like these with fundraisers is that you will start to build a relationship with the fundraiser, and as we all know this is a relationship business – building trust makes every subsequent interaction better.


    Inevitably, there will be disagreements. When this happens, I see this as an opportunity - actually, as an imperative - to educate. A fundraiser may be frustrated that we can’t tell them the exact net worth of a prospect who owns a third-generation, family-owned business. It's not very difficult to explain that privately held companies are not required to disclose their financial and stakeholder information in the same way that publicly traded companies are. Fundraisers are smart – they're going to get it if we clarify this. We're smart too, and can give them more information by coming up with some comparisons to public companies, or finding buried news articles that might actually discuss company revenues. When we put this information in context, explain it well, politely and respectfully, and let the fundraiser know what we think about the prospect's potential assets, we're going to have a satisfied fundraiser. We should strive for this - after all, the fundraiser is our customer.


    The above example comes from my own experience. I simply wasn't able to find out enough information about a prospect’s assets to feel confident about assigning a capacity rating. When I sent the fundraiser an email attaching my research, she responded with, "You really can't find anything else?" This presented a learning opportunity for me. Rather than responding right away, I took a deep breath, and then went to her office and had a conversation with her face-to-face. I explained the difference between privately held companies and publicly traded ones and why I didn't have – and couldn't have – enough information to give a concrete capacity rating, but that this did not mean the gentleman wasn't a major gift prospect. I can't stress enough that if you think a conversation might be difficult, do not have it over email. It's too easy to say something you might regret and hit "send." It's too easy to misunderstand or be misunderstood without the social cues of a real conversation. Fundraisers are relationship people – they will appreciate your effort to seek them out, in person or on the phone if that's not possible. It's a good thing for us researchers to stretch our conversation muscles (and our legs)!


    This strategy can be applied to any kind of conflict between a researcher and a fundraiser. For example, when we are running up against deadlines and feeling rushed by a last minute request that feels thoughtless to us, or when a fundraiser doesn't believe that someone belongs in their portfolio, that they’re not a "good" prospect, but we know they are. A classic problem that I run into over and over again is the difference between "capacity" and "inclination." For instance, I may rate a prospect as having the capacity to make a $1M - $5M gift and the fundraiser will say, "oh, he's never going to give us that much."  Clearly this doesn't invalidate our capacity rating and we're not going to change our rating based on this. But the fundraiser isn't thinking that way, she’s thinking about what she believes the prospect would be willing to give to our organization. Explain your reasoning, don't be defensive, be polite and thoughtful, listen to what the fundraiser has to say, and make your case. We can only control the way that we act or react in any situation. That being said, I firmly believe that when we comport ourselves professionally and respectfully, we're going to be treated the same way in most interactions.


    Fundraisers are not the only good communicators – researchers are as well. A good researcher has to be a good writer, and writing is communication. A good fundraiser must be gregarious and outgoing – these are also communication skills. So, though we tend to think of ourselves as introverts and fundraisers as extroverts (please excuse once again my generalizing), this doesn't have to mean that we can't understand each other.


    We all have the same goal after all. 

  • Fri, March 22, 2013 12:07 PM | Laura Parshall
    With the 2013 Annual Conference coming up, the programming schedule is quiet for the time being. There will be more to come after the conference, though, including Data Analytics 101 and 102 workshops by James Cheng. When more information is available, you'll be able to find it on our programming page.
  • Fri, March 22, 2013 12:06 PM | Laura Parshall
    The NEDRA Board would like to thank Daniel Meagher from Stonehill College for stepping up to volunteer for the Membership Committee. Thanks for your help!
  • Fri, March 22, 2013 12:01 PM | Laura Parshall
    Was it really twenty years ago that Jane Kokernak wrote this article for the NEDRA News about finding donors for environmentally focused organizations and projects? In that time, the number of such organizations and projects has greatly increased. In honor of springtime, here's a reminder about where to find prospects eager and willing to give to earth-centered causes!

  • Thu, February 28, 2013 12:00 PM | Laura Parshall
    The NEDRA Board of Directors met on February 27th. Among the subjects discussed were the need for board member nominations and nominations for the Ann Castle Award, the upcoming conference, and programs that are on the horizon. Read on for more information!
  • Thu, February 28, 2013 11:52 AM | Laura Parshall
    This is a reminder that the NEDRA Board of Directors is still seeking nominations for new board members, with a nomination deadline of March 15th. Do you have an interest in joining the NEDRA board, or do you know a colleague who would make a great board member? More information on the criteria for board members and on their duties is available here, as is a link to the nomination form.

    The Board is also seeking nominations for the 2013 Ann Castle Award. If you know someone who has shown outstanding effort or achievement in the field of development research, fill out an application form here to nominate them.
  • Thu, February 28, 2013 11:44 AM | Laura Parshall
    This month, the NEDRA Board would like to thank four people who have stepped up to help the Conference Committee in their planning and preparations for the 2013 Annual Conference:

    Suzanne Milauskas of Bentley University has volunteered to act as Roundtable Host Coordinator.
    Tina Tong of Tufts University has volunteered to act as Session Host Coordinator.
    Nikki Grimes of the Student Conservation Association and Kristen Jenkins Watson at Boston College have both volunteered as Conference Committee members.

    Thank you so much to all four of you! For all other members, read on for more information on how you, too, can be part of the action at the conference!
  • Thu, February 28, 2013 11:39 AM | Laura Parshall
    This month, the Conference Committee is in need of volunteers to help the 2013 Annual Conference to run smoothly. There are several different volunteer roles available:

    Session Hosts - this is a great volunteer opportunity for someone new to prospect research! Responsibilities include:

    • Arrive at the session room 15 minutes prior to its start time
    • Confirm that the speaker is present
    • Check the room to see that speaker's AV requirements have been met
    • Ensure that the speaker's general needs are met (for example, that they have water)
    • Offer to keep time for the speaker (10 minute warning)
    • Hand out any session materials not available online before the conference that speakers have made available
    • Notify NEDRA Conference staff of any problems
    • Introduce speaker (if you choose)
    • Present speaker with thank-you gift
    If you are interested in helping out as a Session Host or have questions, please contact Tina Tong at tina.tong@tufts.edu or (617) 627-3426.


    Roundtable Host

    This is a great way to get to know your research colleagues from other institutions and discuss important topics and issues that researchers face every day. The Roundtable discussions will take place on Tuesday afternoon during lunch. Hosts are not required to bring anything--they are there to help drive and navigate the discussion surrounding a specific subject. Topics in the past have included international research, the economy, partnering with fundraisers and prospect identification. Suggestions for topics are always welcome!

    If you are interested in helping out as a Roundtable Host or have questions, please contact Suzanne Milauskas at smilauskas@bentley.edu or (781) 891-2683.


    Dinner Hosts for Monday Night
    Know a great place for dinner in Cambridge? Want to dine with colleagues from other organizations? NEDRA is looking for several people to serve as dinner hosts on Monday night. At least one group will dine at a restaurant with excellent options and protocols for guests with allergies. Hosts pre-select the restaurant, make reservations, and provide directions.

    If you are interested in serving as a Dinner Host, please contact the NEDRA Office at office@NEDRA.org or (781) 894-1457.

CONTACT US:

465 Waverly Oaks Road, Suite 421
Waltham, MA 02452
781.894.1457

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