THANK YOU to all of our members who participated in this year’s membership survey. We appreciate and value your responses so much. Your insight and suggestions help us to shape and grow the chapter, plan future programming, and provide the most beneficial experience to you.

It was overwhelmingly clear that our chapter values community, networking and access to resources. These were the themes when asked: "What excites you most about membership?" Responses included "Networking and learning from others in this group”, “Connecting with colleagues and idea sharing”, and “access to free, valuable resources and programming”.

We couldn’t help but smile when reviewing your answers to, What benefits are you most looking forward to taking advantage of?

There was a positive response when asked about possible attendance at our Fall Conference. We are so excited to offer our first in-person conference since the pandemic at Novant Health in Charlotte, NC. Be sure to SAVE THE DATE - October 5th and 6th, 2023 and please join us!

As we look ahead to future education opportunities, we rely upon ideas for topics that would be of interest to you. We will be sure to keep in mind the topics that stood out in your responses this year:

• Prospect Identification
• Pipeline Development
• Stocks/Securities
• Completing thorough research efficiently 
• The future of fundraising & prospect development 

You all shared your titles and proudest accomplishments– WOW – we are doing great things! We are in the company of Directors, Analysts, Consultants, Researchers, Program Managers, Associate Vice Presidents and Operations Specialists. You all have created and improved prospect management programs, established processes and procedures, completed due diligence work, completed database screenings, gone through database conversions, grown teams, learned new roles and more!

The survey confirmed the wide range of experience and involvement across our membership. We are grateful for new and long-standing members, and all those in between, of Apra Carolinas and the prospect development world. 

A fun surprise when asked "What is something you wish we could offer to our members?"  was your request for merch! T-shirts, hats, notebooks, coffee mugs, stickers – OH MY!

You all are also so invested in this community that many of you offered to volunteer in some capacity – panelist, blog post, presenter, road trip grant. Thank you to each of you that expressed interest! We are looking forward to your involvement and will be in touch with you directly.

Another thank you for your kind words and encouragement when responding to "Is there anything else you would like to share with the board?" We will continue our efforts to make our chapter the best it can be!    

Again, The Apra Carolinas board is grateful for your participation in this year’s survey and for your involvement year-round. We can’t wait to connect with you at an upcoming event! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at any time.

One final congratulations to LaDonna Lindgren from The Nature Conservancy for winning the $50 Amazon gift card drawing!

Apra Carolinas has so many talented members, we would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge them through this Member Spotlight series. If you, or someone you know, would be a good fit, please connect with us! 

Angie Herrington is a Senior Consultant for Helen Brown Group (HBG). She began her career in development in 1999 at Virginia Tech in Corporate and Foundation Relations and later in prospect research at the University of Connecticut Foundation. Her past experience also includes grants management at the University of South Carolina, program evaluation for South Carolina Research Authority, and human resources analysis for Nissan North America. She returned to development in 2007 and worked in various prospect research positions at Vanderbilt University, including as Associate Director. She was named Director for Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s research office in 2015 before joining HBG in 2016.  Below is a Q&A between Angie and Megan Gregg as part of the Member Spotlight series. 

Photo of Angie Herrington

How long have you been an Apra Carolinas member, and what has been your most meaningful experience with the chapter?

I’ve been a member since 2016 and was Communications Chair for a year. Apra Carolinas puts in the effort to provide regular programming and services I’ve rarely experienced with other professional organizations. The collaboration with other Apra chapters has also been great and opened even more opportunities for education and networking that I was already benefitting from with our own chapter.

What do you like most about Prospect Research?

Every day I learn something new. Each individual or organization is unique. One day I’m prospecting individuals in Spain, searching for the average compensation of a clown performer, reading how the Tulsa Race Massacre influenced future generations of a family’s wealth and career paths, then another day someone is “allegedly” and “accidentally” involved in a gold heist gone wrong involving a Nigerian war lord. Everyone has a story to tell – big or small – that makes them unique.

Describe your professional journey and what the trajectory of your career has looked like. What drew you to make the transition to your current role with The Helen Brown Group?

Everyone I know says they fell into it and I’m the same. I majored in history because I loved researching and learning about people. When my husband was in graduate school at Virginia Tech, I simply needed a job. I was hired as a development associate in corporate and foundations relations and had no idea “development” is fundraising. The prospect research office had two people in 1999 and didn’t have the capacity to support us. Tamara Overcash, who later became director of research at Duke University until she passed in 2011, gave me a few pointers and the link for Prspct-L and I was hooked. My first job as a researcher was at the University of Connecticut but we moved around and there weren’t many research openings during those times. I returned to prospect research in 2006 at Vanderbilt University. We moved to Raleigh in 2015 and I was taking a break when a former co-worker put me in touch with HBG. I began here in a temporary role and six months later we made it official!

What are some of the challenges that come with working in more of a consulting role versus a standard Prospect Research shop? Alternatively, what aspects of the role are stimulating?

I can’t immediately think of any major challenges working in my consulting role and the services HBG provides. When someone hires us, it means they already understand and value how prospect research helps them. In a standard research shop some fundraisers don’t always understand or are willing to learn how we can help them be successful and make their jobs easier. I never feel like it’s an uphill battle to advocate our worth.

There are two aspects of working with HBG I find the most stimulating. The most important is my coworkers. We all come from a variety of backgrounds and our knowledge and specialties makes for an amazing “brain trust” of collaboration. The other is our clients. For 25 years I've primarily been in higher education but have now worked with museums, public policy think tanks, and people on the front lines of social justice reform. All are making a difference and it's rewarding to have even a small part of that impact through our wide range of clients.

What are the most valuable skills for prospect researchers to develop?

You can teach people databases and websites to find information, but you can’t teach them the curiosity and critical thinking to pull it all together. Don’t rely on a check list of resources and think you’re done. Recently I noticed a pattern of someone with several direct connections to a sanctioned oligarch. I would have missed it if I didn’t think it was odd the person is chair for a company that didn’t fit their career history. Curious about the company, I immediately found several name changes and lawsuits. The sanctioned individual’s roles and investments to this and several other companies connected to the person I was researching became a potential red flag. Similarly, you have to know when to stop and that’s a difficult skill to develop over time.

Thinking back on your career history, share about a time that you hit a “roadblock” while conducting a research project. What was it, and how did you move through it?

News alerts. I’ve had a few clients find them important, but not everyone understands it can be time consuming and more of a manual process than pushing a button. Manage their expectations as well as yours. Sources have to be vetted for validity, create search strings to get the best results, review content for bias and accuracy, and an article from 5 years ago might be dated today. I wrote a blog post a few years ago and still believe you have to use more than one product to cover your bases. For example, out of three products only one caught an article where a high-profile individual received an OBE from the late Queen Elizabeth that week. I currently use Lexis Nexis (subscription), Talkwalker (free), and Google (free).

Tell us something fun about yourself that others might not know!

This isn’t necessarily “fun,” but thinking about my career history I realized I’ve lived in seven states and moved homes 19 times. My home in Raleigh is the longest I’ve lived – almost eight years now. No plans to contact U-Haul anytime soon! 

February is a month focused on love, which makes it the perfect month to blog about how to love your fundraisers – and have them love you back.

We’ve all been there: a fundraiser asks for a profile on a prospect, and we create a beautiful work of art. This profile has it all. Picture, career history, family overview showing generational wealth, connection to your organization, other philanthropic interests, favorite family vacation spots, stock value that was up-to-the second of profile submission, wealth details that could secure a loan (not that they need one), and so much more. In return, we get “Thanks!” … if we’re lucky.

This type of dynamic can lead to frustration and resentment toward our colleagues on the frontlines. So, how can you turn it around?

At their core, fundraisers are people people. They like talking to people so much, they found a career where they get paid to meet new people and ask them for money. If you are in prospect development, you likely just shuddered at that – and if you didn’t, you have a leg-up on many in the profession. At our core, we tend to be more inclined toward data and details. We get frustrated when we don’t see contact reports (they get frustrated when they have to put one in). We want the fundraiser to be blown away with everything we could uncover about a prospect (they wish we could cut-to-the-chase and highlight the answer to the question on their mind).

So, we’re different. As with all things, it’s on a spectrum. Some fundraisers are more data inclined and some in prospect development are more people focused. The problem in many shops is that the two teams are reliant on each other, but don’t always interact. To start loving each other, we need to know each other.

Side story: I do not like spiders. I also have a kid who (briefly) puts bugs in a jar and gives them a name, backstory, and aspirations. This is no longer a spider from my wall, this is Alexandra Rainbow Princess who came inside looking for her sister. They are traveling the world in search of adventure and bananas. Do I want that spider on me? No. Do I want that spider in my house? Also no. Am I angry with that spider? Shockingly … no. I got to “know” the spider. It has a story. It’s not so different from myself. The first step to loving a colleague is to share your stories.

Share your stories

Make it a point to get to know your fundraisers. Let your supervisor know that you want to schedule 30-minute meetings with each of your fundraisers. This is going to look different at each organization – department size, department dynamics, etc. – but this step is essential. To begin to love anything, you need to understand it. If you are on a larger team, supervisors may want you to do this as a group. Push back on this and remind them of the purpose of these meetings. The purpose is to get to know each other. Would a fundraiser meet with a group of prospects to build a relationship? No! If you set up meetings with a group, it becomes a meeting or, even worse, it may feel like an interview. The purpose behind this step is to establish a relationship.

Establish a relationship

To establish a relationship, you need to connect personally and professionally. If you are quiet or less outgoing, this can be very tough to do – especially in a group. Yes, it will take more time if each person in prospect development meets with each fundraiser one-on-one, but the quality of the feedback you receive and the strengthening of your relationship far surpasses anything that would be achieved via a more formalized meeting.

During these meetings, your objective is to get to know each other and learn how the fundraiser prefers to work. Remember – none of this is a personal affront on you or your job. It can be hard to hear that something you’ve taken pride in may be viewed as unnecessary. (I’ve been there.) Try to keep in mind, the purpose of this process is to create a symbiotic relationship. They have the chance to tell you more about what they need, which opens the door for you to ask for something in return.  

Why it works

Just like my spider friend, once you know someone’s story, it’s hard to dislike them. By establishing a personal connection, you open the lines of communication. It’s not Fundraiser calling Prospect Development, it’s Jim calling Pam. This also allows the fundraiser to be heard, which establishes connection to any process changes these conversations may ignite. It’s also a chance to educate the fundraiser about the work involved in their requests. By opening the lines of personal and professional connection, you create a relationship. By asking questions around needs, you create buy-in on change. Once you know each other better, you’ll feel more comfortable reaching out to them for clarification in the future – and since they know you, they are more likely to respond.

What you get

A partnership between prospect development and fundraisers. You get open lines of communication that you can use to clarify needs and simplify requests. You get insight into what you’re doing well and where you could improve. You may even be opening the door to streamlined work in the future. By looking at notes from all your conversations, you may find trends that lead to changes. By letting the fundraisers be a part of the process, you already have buy-in from that team. Think about the disruption of change. Imagine you hear a process is changing and now you must do things in a different way. Ugh, right? Another new process to learn? Now, imagine if a colleague sat down with you and asked you what you would like to see change and you provide feedback. Then you see that change come through – how likely are you to be excited about adopting that change? Being a part of the conversation is better than being informed of a new policy.

Suggested Outline

Below you will see a suggested outline for how this process can work. There are key points included in each section, but you should customize the questions and flow to your team and your organization. It is important to always keep your objective in mind with these meetings. What information do you want to take away from the meeting? What is something you would like the fundraiser to better understand about you and your work? Fundraisers are storytellers, so this meeting may last more than 30 minutes. It’s also a good idea to bring a notebook with you so you can make notes during the conversation. The suggested outline for the process is as follows:  

Meeting outline

Other tips

Have you embarked on a journey to better engage with frontline? Do you have any tips you’d like to add? Please share with us on social media or send us an email! Better yet – let us know if you would like to present!

It's the beginning of 2023 we love to kick off a new year with Apra Carolinas by introducing you to your board. This year is a mixture of new and returning faces who are all dedicated to providing professional development and networking opportunities to our members in the Carolinas (and beyond)! We have some exciting things planned for the year ahead; to see the faces behind the plans, please read through to learn a little more about your board.  

Jennifer Vincent

Account Executive, Blackbaud 

President

How many years have you worked in fundraising/prospect development?

I worked directly in Advancement for over a decade before joining Blackbaud, where I now work adjacent to the field. Overall, I’ve spent over 15 years in the field.

What inspired you to join the Apra Carolinas board?

Beth Inman made it seem like a great idea … and she was totally right! I was a few years into the field and wanted to make deeper connections with others and become more involved with the profession. I love this community and it's been such an honor to serve on this board. 

What do you like most about working in prospect development?

It used to be prospect research and falling down a rabbit hole on a prospect profile, but then it morphed into prospect management and partnering with fundraisers. I love looking at portfolios and devising strategy to help them meet their/our goals.

What's your favorite snack? 

Hmm, favorite any day snack is homemade popcorn with nutritional yeast and garlic salt. Favorite road-trip snack is Doritos [Cool Ranch!] and Muddy Buddies … depending on a sweet or salty mood.

Rachael Walker

Prospect Analyst, Cornell University

President-Elect

How many years have you worked in fundraising/prospect development?

I’m on my 13th year! Where does the time go?

What inspired you to join the Apra Carolinas board?

I was asked by a previous education chair to join the then-extant education committee! I had a grand old time, then moved up to NC Regional Rep. My natural bossiness (sorry, I meant “organizational skills”) was well-suited to being Education Chair and now I’ll get to really flex those muscles as President-Elect.

What do you like most about working in prospect development?

The community. Absolutely my favorite thing about this field is the willingness my fellow professionals have to share what they’ve learned with each other. I try to pay it forward all the time – which is why Education Chair was such a great place for me for so long!

What's your favorite snack? 

It’s unfair to make me choose just one. I would say probably Trader Joe’s seasonal key lime kettle corn. I stock up every summer and try to make it last, but I never can.

Emily Hinz

Assistant Director of Prospect Development, UNC Charlotte

Treasurer

How many years have you worked in fundraising/prospect development?

Coming up on 6 in May!

What inspired you to join the Apra Carolinas board?

I connected with a few of the other Carolinas board members at big Apra PD in 2019, and really appreciated their expertise and friendly vibe. When they said they had a board opening it was a no brainer!

What do you like most about working in prospect development?

I truly love portfolio review- connecting with development officers to celebrate their wins and help them hone in on the best prospects in their area. Being a resource for them is the best.

What's your favorite snack? 

Toughy as I am a snack queen... does chips and queso count? Best pre-dinner snack ever.

Megan Gregg

Senior Development Research Analyst, Elon University

Secretary

How many years have you worked in fundraising/prospect development?

I have worked in prospect development for 3 of the 10 years that I have been in fundraising.

What inspired you to join the Apra Carolinas board?

Since joining the Research team at Elon in 2019, I have been continually amazed by, and grateful for, all that Apra Carolinas has offered me. The professionals I have met are not only incredibly knowledgeable and skilled, they are also genuinely warm, engaging, and encouraging. My boss is a former President of Apra Carolinas, and I saw the fulfillment she got out of giving back to an organization that provides so much to those of us who work in this niche field. When I received the invitation to join, it was a no brainer for me. My hope is to inspire others to plug in as much as I did so that you can meet an incredible group of individuals and acquire invaluable insight into the field!

What do you like most about working in prospect development?

My favorite part of prospect development is the “detective” skills it takes to do my job well. I love those moments when a prospect has been a bit elusive to research, but I suddenly search for the right term or pull on the right string that reveals valuable information I had been searching for. Several people in my hallway can attest to the times they’ve heard an excited “Aha! Found you!” coming from my office

What's your favorite snack? 

Hands down, I could eat apples and peanut butter any day of the week!

Emily Glesias

Foundation Operations Manager, Novant Health Foundation

Education Chair

How many years have you worked in fundraising/prospect development?

This year will be seven in fundraising operations, almost five with a focus on prospect development.

What inspired you to join the Apra Carolinas board?

The community and brain power behind this stellar group of professionals is really what inspired me to joining the board! The opportunity to network with peers, have a sounding board for ideas or project issues I am encountering at work, and exposure to others in the industry that I’d otherwise not have an opportunity to communicate with are a few of the great aspects of Apra C board membership. Joining gave me a chance to personally make sure others in the Carolinas had regular access to educational opportunities, networking and a support system of likeminded individuals, especially as they’re starting out their prospect development journey. I needed the connections when I was first starting out and Apra has been a huge resource for me so giving back only makes sense!

What do you like most about working in prospect development?

I love the “but why or how?” that comes with so many of our projects/finds – and that we’re encouraged to FIND the why and figure out HOW the prospect connects to our nonprofit! It’s a very rewarding treasure hunt through data, identifying nuggets of otherwise hidden information and crafting a story using them. My colleagues and I will often joke that we’re “super sleuths” for data that isn’t easily traceable which may be true and is part of the allure of prospect development but, it’s also the magic of how we’re usually the first ones to share said information and see how it’s ultimately translated into a meaningful, deeper relationship with a donor who makes an impact on your organization or community.

What's your favorite snack? 

Can I say coffee? Specifically iced lattes of the vanilla or cinnamon varieties. My Nespresso machine gets lots of love throughout the day!

Teresa Pezdek

Director of Prospect Development, Furman University

Membership Chair

How many years have you worked in fundraising/prospect development?

I have been in prospect development for 6.5 years.

What inspired you to join the Apra Carolinas board?

I was excited for the opportunity to connect with new colleagues and give back to others. I couldn’t wait to play an active role in all that Apra Carolinas offers.

What do you like most about working in prospect development?

I love the strategy and creativity that goes into our work, along with the internal relationship building. It is also so satisfying to see the positive impact prospect development staff can have on fundraising efforts.

What's your favorite snack? 

Chips and salsa! A side of queso never hurts either.

Andi Marrs

Prospect Researcher, UNC Charlotte

Communications Chair

How many years have you worked in fundraising/prospect development?

I've been in the fundraising/prospect development world for around 7 1/2 years now and I love it!

What inspired you to join the Apra Carolinas board?

Such a good question! I really wanted to give back to the Apra community that helped shape my early career days, help provide opportunities for growth and learning in the prospect research/development sector and expand my connections in the NC/SC fundraising community.

What do you like most about working in prospect development?

I think what I like most about working in prospect development is the diversity of the work we do. One day it could be a profile on an individual, the next we're analyzing a portfolio, and then the next we're working across departments to see how we can provide expertise. I also love seeing my gift officer colleagues succeed and build lasting relationships with donors.

What's your favorite snack? 

Sweet snack would be sour patch kids and savory snack would be french fries. Always.

Kathy Mills

Senior Donor Identification Analyst, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

NC Regional Representative

How many years have you worked in fundraising/prospect development?

11 years

What inspired you to join the Apra Carolinas board?

This is my second time on the board. I was previously treasurer, and after a short hiatus, decided to rejoin because I missed the networking and camaraderie. I originally joined due to encouragement by two coworkers who’d been on the board.

What do you like most about working in prospect development?

I love knowing the work I’m doing is helping others, and I really enjoy hearing donors tell us what motivates them to give, regardless of the gift size.

What's your favorite snack? 

Dark chocolate

Jennifer Kehoe

Senior Director of Prospect Development, Clemson University

SC Regional Representative

How many years have you worked in fundraising/prospect development?

21 years. First 4 years of my career were as a CFR Development Officer before moving into the Prospect Development side of things, and I’ve never regretted it for a minute!

What inspired you to join the Apra Carolinas board?

The desire to be more involved with my fellow Analysts (in all of our different organizations) and to feel like I’m giving back. I’ve been in this area for 4 years now and I don’t know nearly enough people, this is perfect opportunity!

What do you like most about working in prospect development?

I enjoy the challenge of the work and the everyday “puzzles” we face. I have always found a great deal of satisfaction working in philanthropy and the idea that we can work for a greater good. I’ve also been blessed to meet and work with some truly talented colleagues.

What's your favorite snack? 

Wow, I feel like this changes, but right now…Dot’s Pretzels (Original flavor).

Kelly Kemp, Development Research Analyst from Furman University, was awarded the 2022 Professional Development Scholarship from Apra Carolinas. She chose to use the award to attend Apra PD in Atlanta, GA. Below is a Q&A between Kelly and Rachael Walker regarding her experience. 

Kelly Kemp, Ready to go!	View from Kelly's room

Blog post by Amy Jackson, NC Regional Representative. Amy lives in Indian Trail, NC and is assistant vice president of foundation relations and development at Wingate University. She previously worked as grants manager for the Charlotte Symphony and has 8 years of fundraising experience, primarily in the areas of grants management and grant writing, prospect research and prospect management, campaign planning, and donor relations. 

Prospect Research plays an important role in the success of nonprofit organizations. While the bulk of philanthropic dollars received each year comes from individuals and continues to rise, we are also seeing an increase in the second largest category, giving by foundations. According to the annual report from Giving USA, giving by Foundations in 2020 was $88.5 billion, accounting for 19% of all contributions that year and increasing 17% over 2019.

Support from foundations serves as a key source of revenue for many nonprofits as they seek to carry out their missions, and private foundations must pay out at least 5 percent of their assets each year in the form of grants and operating charitable activities. So, where do you start with foundation research and what tools are available to help in your efforts?

Foundation Research Tools

Candid, formerly Foundation Center and GuideStar, is a wonderful resource and it’s free to use. My favorite things to access via Candid are GuideStar and Foundation Directory Online (FDO). Candid also has some great e-newsletters delivered straight to your inbox to keep you up to date on subject-based philanthropy, links to resources, and funding alerts. GuideStar houses information about every IRS-registered nonprofit organization, including the three most recent 990s. While FDO Pro is a paid tool, many public libraries offer free access to the database. FDO Pro features 140,000+ grantmakers and 11 million+ grants, and it is updated weekly. I would recommend that you watch this free 1-hour tutorial first, and then bring a flash drive with you so you can download search results and profiles for more in-depth research once you are back at your desk. Search here for a library that has FDO Pro near you. FoundationSearch is another database option if you have the budget funds to add it to your shop. Relationship Science (RelSci) (relationship mapping to find board member connections) and iWave (one-stop-shop for prospect research and donor wealth screening), other paid tools, can support your foundation research efforts, too.

When I’m in FDO Pro or FoundationSearch, I like to narrow my search by looking at foundations with the largest assets, a geographic scope that corresponds with where my organization is located, and a granting category that fits my type of organization. I don’t always exclude foundations that don’t accept unsolicited proposals, because you may be able to connect with those folks in another way. Perhaps you have a board member or individual donor that knows one of their board members or staff members. Another tip is to search for organizations with similar missions to yours to see which foundations are giving to them. Maybe they would be interested in giving to you as well.

Three additional sites related to foundation research are The Grantsmanship Center, NC Network of Grantmakers, and South Carolina Grantmakers Network. The Grantsmanship Center provides training, publications, technical assistance, and consulting for nonprofits in addition to resources by state, including top giving foundations, community foundations, and corporate giving programs. NC Network of Grantmakers and South Carolina Grantmakers Network serve grantmaking organizations across their respective states. Their news pages are particularly useful for information about staff changes at foundations, grant awards, requests for proposals, and more.

Digging into 990s

Foundations are required to submit a Form 990 to the IRS each year. This form contains a slew of helpful information for research purposes. For foundation research, here’s what I look at:

Foundation Profiles

You’ve done your research and now it’s time to put together a profile. I’ve found the following template to be most effective when sharing prep information with gift officers and/or senior leadership.

Happy foundation prospecting!

A big thank you to everyone for taking the time to complete the membership survey which was emailed out in the past couple of months! Your participation helps give us a clearer understanding of things that are being done well, things that may need some tweaking, and areas that we can focus on in the future within the chapter. This year, we received responses from just under 30% of our membership base.

In this blog post, we’ll share some survey questions and how members responded. Please know that even though this membership survey is a great way to share your thoughts with the chapter, you are more than welcome (and encouraged) to reach out with thoughts & feedback any day of the week throughout the year.

 

“What areas of Apra Carolinas provide value to you?”

Overwhelmingly, every single respondent answered ‘Webinars’ as an area which provides value to them. Point taken! The two response that shared second place, both with about three-quarters of respondents answering, were ‘Recorded webinars on Member Resources tab’ and ‘Newsletters.’ Along the same line, members said that the most valuable benefit was ‘Webinars’ at 64% with ‘Conferences’ in a well-earned 2^nd place spot at 25%. ‘Recorded webinars’ were once again mentioned with just over 10% of the responses given.

 

"What is something that you wish was offered by Apra Carolinas to its member base?”

Without being able to include every open-ended response, some great feedback was provided such as:

• “More live educational opportunities via webinar. …”
• “While Apra International offers a Body of Knowledge feature, it would be incredibly beneficial if Apra Carolinas published a guide, whether through a webinar or blog post, on what a career trajectory in Prospect Research looks like for those who are interested in growing their expertise.” 
  
• “More webinars/mentoring on data analysis, modeling, … anything data.”

A growing interest in recent years is on data analytics, on which this response touches: “More webinars/mentoring on data analysis, modeling, okay anything data.” Data analytics were mentioned several times in the post, but nothing about specific interests. We want to deliver, so we scheduled a roundtable in April to dive in and learn more!

Members may find it interesting that 39% of respondents indicated that they were members of Apra International and the same number indicated that they were not members. Additionally, close to one-fifth of respondents indicated that they were not currently Apra International members but previously were at one point in time.

We also asked members how many years they’ve worked in prospect development; an impressive 43% have been working in the field for more than ten years! Following this, 32% in the 3–5-year range and 14% in the 1–3-year range.

“How interested are you in attending virtual networking?”

Since we’ve become so accustomed to virtual networking in the last couple of years, we made sure to include several questions on the topic. Member responses showed that out of a scale of 1-5, almost 40% gave a response of 3 (mildly interested). When asked what kind of virtual networking should be offered, members overwhelmingly responded with ‘Professional topic led discussion groups’ (82%) and ‘Personal topic led discussion groups’ (46%) followed.  Members indicated that if they haven’t attended a networking event yet, it’s mostly due to scheduling or timing issues.

On the topic of conferences (Fall conference planning underway!), we asked members if they currently prefer an in-person or virtual setting. Votes were very close with just over half of respondents indicating a current preference for virtual conferences. When asked if they’d be willing to attend if a conference was offered in-person, 61% said yes. Location and schedule conflict were the two greatest obstacles for conference attendance with each vote contributing 33% of the total.

This year, just over two-thirds  of members indicate that they have a budget for travel and professional development in place. Although this question was not directly asked in 2020, we did receive some responses that cost was a prohibitive factor when considering conference attendance. Thankfully, Apra Carolinas offers a Professional Development Scholarship (congratulations to our 2022 winners - Kelly Kemp & Gillian Hayden!) which may provide financial assistance to those restricted due to budget. Scholarship applications will reopen on January 1^st, 2023, on the Apra Carolinas website for any member interested.

 

“What topics would you like to see in upcoming programming?” 

 

We received numerous help and constructive thoughts in response to this question. These suggestions are taken very seriously and discussed by the board thoroughly in various stages of planning our programming. There are too many to share in this one blog post, so we created a word cloud visualization so that it can be viewed in a fun and different way, highlighting the more frequently mentioned (larger text) subjects.

 

Upon wrapping up the membership survey, we wanted to know what else you, the member, wanted to share with us. Those suggestions and comments were shared with the board. We appreciate every single piece of feedback - the gracious compliments, encouraging messages, and everything in between. As mentioned previously, this survey is a good way to assess and improve Apra Carolinas, but our ears are open year-round for any feedback, big or small. The Apra Carolinas board appreciates your participation, and we can’t wait to see you all at the next webinar, networking event, or conference!

Finally, please join us in congratulating member Michele Tanzosch of Grinnell College for winning the $50.00 Amazon gift card raffle!

Guest blog post by former President-Elect, Allison Kiglics. Allison resides in Wilmington, NC and recently left the prospect development field to work as a Small Business Banking Underwriter for Live Oak Bank. She would love to connect on LinkedIn and is happy to discuss her experience.  

Prospect Development was a field I fell into. We often hear that from those in the field and, like so many others, I quickly realized I had found home. In 2017 I was hired by my alma mater, the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), as a Prospect Development Analyst. I jumped in with both feet, learning the development world inside and out under current Apra Carolinas president Jennifer Vincent. My first month at UNCW was a total blur. I was learning ethics, terminology, industry norms, and getting to know the development officers and other teammates I would be working with.

Prospect Development utilized a skill set I had been crafting for years as a wannabe super spy. I had a background in data analytics from my sociology undergraduate studies, and while I enjoyed analytics, I didn’t really want to work in data science full time. I am an introvert, after all. Prospect Development gave me the perfect balance of working alone, working with others, and working with data.

Jennifer took the role of president-elect with Apra Carolinas, and then received an amazing offer at Blackbaud. I moved into her prospect management role at UNCW, where I oversaw prospect research. When Jennifer moved into the president role of Apra Carolinas, I signed on as the president-elect.

Like so many others, I began wondering what my next role would be when ‘the great resignation’ hit. I was at the top of the department at UNCW and was the president-elect of Apra Carolinas. There wasn’t much opportunity for me to advance at UNCW; if I wanted growth, I would need to look elsewhere to find it. Left and right, there were remote development jobs being posted as non-profits began to see the advantages of remote employees. I was wrapping up my Master of Science in Business Analytics at UNCW, and it was great timing to start my search. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an opportunity came to me to join the Underwriting team at Live Oak Bank here in Wilmington, NC. I would still get to spy on people (I even get their tax returns!) and I would get to dive even further into my skill set of Business Analytics. I knew it would be a scary change, but the opportunity to join one of the best banks and places to work in Wilmington was one I couldn't pass by. So, I took the scary plunge into the for-profit world, and I have loved every minute of it.

The work I’m doing at Live Oak is so meaningful. We are almost exclusively a small business banking lender working with Small Business Administration loans. For example, I worked on a loan this week for an existing funeral home owner to acquire a location a few miles away as that owner retires. We were able to finance the loan at 100% because of the SBA program. It’s somewhat parallel to my development career, except now there are loan officers instead of gift officers and a loan servicing team instead of a stewardship team. There are many skills from my prospect development career that served me well to secure the job here at Live Oak. I had a good foundation of financial and business literacy from my prospect development career, which was an asset to this new role. In Prospect Development, we’re always in the middle of different teams; from front line fundraisers, advancement services, stewardship to working with executive leadership. We need to be chameleons, fitting in wherever we go. Adapting to different styles. That skill is transferrable to any career in the private sector.

We have this joke on the Apra Carolinas board about the “Curse of the President” which came about after several presidents left their term early due to outstanding job offers that pulled them away from the Carolinas or the profession. If you’re wondering if the curse is a myth… join the board and find out for yourself! 

Apra Carolinas Mugshots

The 2022 Apra Carolinas board recently met for our annual – now virtual – board retreat where we focus on mapping out the year ahead. One area of focus for the board is around engaging with chapter members and helping to make sure you know we are here to support your professional development efforts. During this meeting, we decided to share with you all our favorite mugs and why we love them. There are some recurring themes in our favorite mugs – see if you can spot them!

Please join us on social media by sharing your favorite mug along with #ApraCarolinasMugshot

Check out our: Apra Carolinas Mugshots

In a time of great uncertainty, it’s hard to know what lies ahead – but we do know that the world is changing, and philanthropy will certainly change with it. That’s why “Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors are Revolutionizing Giving” felt like a particularly timely selection for our Apra Carolinas book discussion group. According to the authors, the Gen X and Millennial (and soon Gen Z!) philanthropists are looking to “disrupt” the world of charitable giving.

What does that mean, for us and for them? Well, here are some key takeaways from the book and questions to ponder moving forward:

• These donors want to see the IMPACT of their donations (or at least indicators of progress towards a goal).

Question: How does your organization show the impact of donor gifts? Is there a way that you can communicate that more effectively, especially if your fundraising focus is on something that is hard to quantify?

• They want to upend philanthropic norms and “change systems, not treat symptoms.”

Question: Is your organization addressing overarching societal issues (access to healthcare, education, clean water, etc.)? If not, can you show how your organization may help alleviate more systemic problems?

• They want to focus on fewer organizations rather than spreading their gifts around and would prefer to work with smaller organizations where their donation can have a big impact.

Question: If you work at a larger organization, how can you highlight specific programs where a philanthropic gift would make a significant (and/or immediate) difference?

• They are focused on “giving while living” – they want to see their donations working now and are less interested in bequests/estate gifts.

Question: How can you frame the impact of planned gifts beyond leaving a legacy? (An example might be suggesting that their gift could inspire others in their network to be philanthropic, or that an estate gift could make a larger impact over time than an immediate gift now.)

• They want to use new approaches to giving beyond standard donations, like impact investing, microloans, and crowdfunding.

Question: Does your organization offer any of these options? Would it be feasible to work with next gen donors to create fresh funding ideas that appeal to them?

• They want to help beyond just writing a check – to contribute their time and expertise in meaningful ways and leverage their networks to help as well.

Question: What options do you have for donor engagement beyond serving on a board or planning/hosting an event? Do you have any experiential learning opportunities or intensive volunteer activities that could allow them to use their skills?

• They don’t see family giving as a hierarchy. They want to be a member of a multi-generational, multi-branch team that works together, and not just follow the lead of those that came before them.

Question: How does your organization approach inherited wealth and family giving? Do you engage with children of wealth differently (and separately) from their parents? How can you cultivate and solicit the family in a way that appeals to all its members?

That’s just some of the highlights. The real-life next gen donor interviews were particularly insightful, though (in my opinion) it would have been helpful to also hear some stories from fundraisers or even family members of different generations and how they have experienced working with these individuals. There will be a learning curve ahead but thinking strategically about these things now will give you a great head start!

I’d highly recommend reading this book if you’re interested in finding out more. As a member benefit, we are offering copies to the first thirty members that fill out our Google Form. Please do check it out and start planning for the future of fundraising.

-Merissa Lawson (Immediate Past President, Apra Carolinas)