High Finance for Prospect Researchers: Hedge Funds, Private Equity and Venture Capital*
*minimum 2 years in Prospect Research required
Friday, March 6, 2026- Friday, April 3, 2026 (4 sessions, online). No class on March 20.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Friday, March 6, 11:00AM – 12:30PM (ET)
Friday, March 13, 11:00AM- 12:30PM (ET) - NO CLASS ON MARCH 20 -
Friday, March 27, 11:00AM – 12:30PM (ET)
Friday, April 3, 11:00AM – 12:30PM (ET)
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The US Financial Services industry creates, maintains, and perpetuates a disproportionate number of personal fortunes. Its activities touch virtually every affluent major prospect on the donor and prospect lists of every nonprofit organization. It can also present an intimidating challenge for prospect researchers stymied by artful industry jargon, organization and fee structures, and eye-popping deal figures. Still, the more researchers understand this world, the more opportunities they can potentially identify for the organizations they serve.
This four-week survey course examines investment managers in the “alternatives” subsector: private equity (“buyout” and venture capital) and hedge fund businesses and will feature:
Class Descriptions (order of coverage subject to change):
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
Class 4
FACULTY:
Nhu Huynh, University of Chicago, Booth School of Business
Nhu (she/her/hers) is currently the Director of Prospect Development and Campaign Management at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. In this role, she oversees prospect research, prospect management, and assists with capital campaign strategy. She previously worked at Loyola University of Chicago as the Director, Prospect Management & Research. Prior to that, she spent seven years at Harvard where she started as a prospect research analyst and eventually pivoted to overseeing more prospect management responsibilities under the title of Associate Director, Prospect Management. One of her greatest accomplishments includes helping implement a prospect management program in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. She was a member of APRA International's Nomination Committee (2022). Nhu has a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a master’s degree from Harvard University. She resides in Chicago, Illinois.
Tara McMullen-King, The Helen Brown Group
Tara is Director of Research & Consulting at The Helen Brown Group, where she manages a team of consultants who provide prospect research, prospect management consulting, fundraising analytics, training, and due diligence research for nonprofit organizations across the country. She began her career in development in the early 2000s at Simmons College, where she ultimately served as Assistant Director of Prospect Research. Since that time, Tara has worked as a Senior Research Analyst at MIT, Associate Director of Prospect Management & Research at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Director of Development Research at Combined Jewish Philanthropies.
Tara served on NEDRA’s board of directors from 2010–2016 and has been a member of the Research Basics Bootcamp faculty since 2020. She has also been actively involved with Apra as a volunteer, previously serving on the Membership Committee, Chapters Committee, and Bylaws Task Force. In 2022, she was awarded NEDRA’s Ann Castle Award, which recognizes outstanding effort or achievement in the field of development research and related disciplines.
In addition to her work in prospect development, Tara is also a professional wedding officiant based in Salem, Massachusetts. She is a founding board member of the Sisterhood of Salem, a membership-based networking and empowerment organization for women and nonbinary people, and serves as president of the board of the Salem Playhouse, a former church now reimagined as a vibrant home for the performing arts.
Sanda Soltan, Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP)
Sanda Soltan (she/her/hers) is the Director of Prospect Management and Research at Combined Jewish Philanthropies, where she oversees prospect strategy, portfolio systems, and research practices supporting fundraising across the organization. Previously, she spent seven years at Harvard University on the Research and Prospect Management team, most recently as Assistant Director and Training Manager, where she led training and onboarding for research analysts, supported the research needs of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and contributed to prospect management systems implementation. She began her tenure at Harvard as a Research Analyst and started her career in development at Boston Children’s Hospital as a Development Associate. Sanda has experience analyzing complex wealth structures and financial entities, including private equity and hedge fund firms, and interpreting public disclosures, compensation models, ownership structures, and investment activity in a prospect development context. She holds a master’s degree from Boston University, a bachelor’s degree from Smith College, and has completed coursework in corporate finance, private equity, and hedge funds through Harvard Extension School.
COST:
$225 Members
$275 Non-Members
Are you a current or recently lapsed NEDRA member and want to attend this program for free? Deadline to apply for the need-based NEDRA Community Scholarship is the end of the day on Friday, February 20, 2026.
LOCATION:
Attendees will receive a Zoom link in advance of the first class. Please note, NEDRA's High Finance sessions are not recorded.
DEADLINES:
Registration for this event closes on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 5PM.
Prospect Development for Beginners
Friday, March 6, 2026
2:00 PM- 3:00 PM ET
Online
Calling on all those who have an interest in learning more about prospect development! Come join us for this FREE webinar where we will provide a basic introduction to the field meant to spark interest, share some simple research techniques, and offer advice on how to begin a career in prospect development. Attendees will come away with:
Anyone who conducts research as part of their current role and wants to learn more should attend this program. If you manage or interact with interns, student workers, and volunteers, please encourage them to attend!
PRESENTERS:
Jen Clifford is Assistant Director of Research at Harvard University. She has worked in development since 2015 holding positions at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center and the Peabody Essex Museum. Jen received her BA in art history from the University of Maryland and professional certificate in museum studies from Tufts University. She is currently a member of the NEDRA’s Advocacy and Professional Development Committee.
Amy Tesoro is the founder and principal of Tesoro Strategies, a consulting firm specializing in advancement and development strategy. She has 25+ years of experience in the field and has held leadership roles at Perkins School for the Blind, the College of the Holy Cross, Boston College, the University of Chicago, St. Mark’s School, and Loyola University. Amy holds a B.S. in Economics from Boston College and is pursuing a M.A. in Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. She currently serves on NEDRA’s Advocacy and Professional Development Committee.
In the spirit of inclusion and bringing a more diverse community into the field of prospect research and development, we are offering this program at no cost.
Attendees will receive a Zoom link a day before the event; this program will not be recorded.
Registration for this event closes on March 5, 2026 at 3 PM.
Please add NEDRA.org to your trusted list of senders, contacts or address book to ensure that you don't miss any important details about this program.
Virtual Book Tour for Prospect Management: The Essential Guide by Ruthie Giles
Thursday, March 12, 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET
Join us for a special stop on the virtual book tour of Prospect Management: The Essential Guide for a High Functioning Nonprofit Prospect Management System, the first comprehensive guide of its kind in the nonprofit sector, written by longtime NEDRA member and former NEDRA board member, Ruthie Giles. Ruthie is an internationally recognized expert on the topic of prospect management, and her book offers a deep dive into key areas such as portfolio optimization, managing donor pipeline stages, and effectively partnering with gift officers. With decades of hands-on experience, Ruthie brings clarity, structure, and actionable insight into a critical area of fundraising operations.
During this engaging session, Ruthie will share the story behind writing the book, explain her passion for building sustainable prospect management systems, touch of some key topics from the book, and share her vision for what she thinks is on the horizon for the prospect development field.
Whether you’ve already read the book or are just discovering it, this is a valuable opportunity to learn more about the topic. There will be ample time for questions and discussion - so bring your questions, challenges, and curiosity. You can also submit questions in advance while registering.
PRESENTER:
A renowned thought leader in the field of prospect management, Ruthie Giles has worked in prospect research and prospect management since 2000. She is the author of Prospect Management: The Essential Guide for a High Functioning Nonprofit Prospect Management System (2025). Ruthie has held positions with Springfield Technical Community College, University of New Hampshire, Westfield State University, Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Harold Grinspoon Foundation, The Loomis Chaffee School, and the Williston Northampton School. She is a former NEDRA Board member and a current NEDRA Committee Volunteer for NEDRA’s 3-5 Learning Network. Originally from coastal Maine, Ruthie resides in western Massachusetts with her husband, their sweet lazy dog, and their five neurotic cats.
Free for Members
$25 Non-Members
Attendees will receive a Zoom link before the event; this will be held as a Zoom meeting and a recording will not be available.
Registration for this event closes on Wednesday, March 11th at 5pm.
Prospect Research in the Age of AI: Same Work, New Tools
11:00AM - 12:OOPM ET
When the internet arrived, librarians didn’t disappear; they evolved into information scientists. AI is our moment. Long before “AI” was a buzzword, prospect researchers were synthesizing data, spotting patterns, and predicting outcomes—the very work AI now promises to accelerate.
This session cuts through the hype to explain how AI actually works, where today’s tools meaningfully support prospect research (and where they fall short), and why researchers are uniquely positioned to interpret, question, and guide the use of AI in fundraising.
AI isn’t replacing prospect research; it’s finally catching up to what researchers have been doing all along.
Amy Gingle is a fundraising strategy and operations leader with deep expertise in pipeline development and prospect research, and a strong interest in leveraging emerging technologies to strengthen fundraising systems. She is a lifelong learner who is continually exploring how data and AI can support smarter, more effective development work.
Most recently, Amy served as Senior Director at Orr Group, where she partnered with nonprofit leaders to design and implement data-informed fundraising strategies that strengthened prospect pipelines and accelerated revenue growth. Previously, she served as Senior Director of Research and Pipeline Development at Year Up, where she led prospect development and strategy across all revenue-generating functions—including corporate engagement and individual, corporate, and foundation fundraising—and contributed to annual revenue exceeding $170 million.
Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles in prospect research and analytics at Massachusetts General Hospital during its $1.5 billion capital campaign and began her development career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Amy serves on the board of Women in Development of Greater Boston and the Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA. She lives on the North Shore of Boston with her family, several chickens and ducks, and a golden retriever.
$25 Members
$50 Non-Members
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.
POLICIES & PROCEDURES:
Deadline for registration will be Tuesday, March 17th at 4PM.
Prospect Research in the Age of AI: Building AI That Works Like a Researcher
Prospect researchers now have the opportunity to shape how AI actually works in fundraising. Building on the foundations from Session 1, "Prospect Research in the Age of AI: Same Work, New Tools", this session transitions from concepts to execution; less “what is AI?” and more “okay, now what do we do with it?”
Participants will explore how AI can be intentionally designed, customized, and embedded into prospect research workflows, moving beyond one-off experiments and into responsible, repeatable use. Through demonstrations and real-world case studies, we’ll show how custom GPTs and structured prompts can produce consistent research outputs—and how AI can be integrated into advancement systems without sacrificing judgment, sourcing, or data integrity.
The goal isn’t to replace prospect researchers; it’s to give them better tools. AI can process faster, but researchers still provide the expertise, context, and critical analysis that fundraising depends on.
Deadline for registration will be Tuesday, March 31st at 4PM.
Prospect Development and People Development: Becoming an Effective Manager
Thursday, April 2, 2026
1:00 PM-2:30 PM ET
Have you recently (or maybe not so recently) been promoted to a management position and realized you’ve never received any formal training in overseeing and motivating individuals and teams? This interactive workshop will explore how effective management intersects with the work of prospect development. In the first part of the workshop, you will examine the compelling research on the profound role that managers play in so many aspects of the employee experience, and how to embrace the responsibility. You will learn a dynamic framework to help you identify both your managerial strengths and weaknesses, and to examine which manager skill domains your organization needs from you most right now. In the second part of the workshop, you will have the opportunity to build your toolkit for people development. First you will learn important distinctions between managing for performance and managing for development. Then, you’ll learn techniques and approaches for facilitating high impact 1-on-1’s and helping your people grow along their career trajectory.
REQUIREMENTS:Must be a current manager or transitioning into a role with management responsibilities (i.e. this is not the right course for you if you want to learn more about if managing is right for you). Attendees should expect to keep cameras on and actively participate in discussions.
Lou Bergholz founded Edgework in 2001 and has over two decades of experience working with teams, organizations and communities on their most pressing human capital and human development issues. Besides leading the company for over two decades, Lou has helped build Edgework’s unique Knowledge Lab, an internal research and learning hub that fuels all of Edgework’s design and facilitation work.
Lou brings to his consulting work a rare blend of design expertise, professional consulting presence and truly engaging and exciting facilitation. Lou’s passion for learning stems from years of work on the front lines of education and organizational development, across the United States and in Israel, South Africa, Malawi, Thailand, Namibia, Canada, Ethiopia, Gaza, Jordan, Ireland, Zambia, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe. Lou has worked in the boardroom, the classroom and in non-traditional educational settings, with populations ranging from executives from major corporations to young adults with life threatening illnesses.
$75 Members
$125 Non-Members
Are you a current or recently lapsed NEDRA member and want to attend this program for free? Apply for the need-based NEDRA Community Scholarship. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, February 25th.
Attendees will receive a Zoom link a day before the event; this meeting will be held as a Zoom meeting and a recording will not be available.
Registration for this event closes on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 5PM or when the event is full. Space is limited.
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