Prospect Research #Chatbytes

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Episodes

145

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Prospect research professionals share their stories, tips, and commentary on topics that affect our fundraising work and our lives. We also sneak in guests from outside our field to shake up our perspective on fundraising and prospect research.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

September 2, 202620 min

145: Evelyn Chen on Braver Leadership and Philanthropic Due Diligence

What do you do when research uncovers something uncomfortable about a major donor? Evelyn Chen, Partner at Russell Philanthropies, shares how the Braver Leadership framework — clarity, candor, and courageous follow-through — helps organizations navigate the gray areas of philanthropic due diligence with integrity. Read More on the Learning Edge Blog Resources Mentioned Connect with Evelyn Chen: LinkedIn Russell Philanthropies: Enews Subscribe Getting Started and Getting Serious about Due Diligence with Courtney Cutler Workshop | Due Diligence: Practice to Policy?

August 3, 202619 min

144: Mary Petersen on Why Gift Officers Stall on New Prospects — and How to Start

Major gift coach, podcaster, and author Mary Petersen has spent 25 years in the field and she's seen what happens when fundraisers don't act on research, chase high-capacity but low-affinity prospects, and avoid making the first call. In this episode, she shares what the early discovery phase of major gift fundraising really looks like, and how researchers and development officers can work better together. Read More on the Learning Edge Blog Resources Mentioned Connect with Mary Petersen: LinkedIn | Website Book: What to Say: 12 Major Gift Asks to Get a YES Course: How to Have a Donor Meeting Small Group Coaching Program: Momentum Hey Fundraiser! Podcast

July 6, 202620 min

143: #CareerCurious on Going Solo in Prospect Development with Regina Alhassan

Regina Alhassan didn't plan to end up in fundraising — but 30 years later, she's the CEO of ResearchPRO and a passionate advocate for the value prospect development professionals bring to the table. In this Career Curious episode, she opens up about the accidental beginning, the faith walk of entrepreneurship, and what she'd tell anyone thinking about going solo. Read More on the Learning Edge Blog Resources Mentioned Connect with Regina on LinkedIn ResearchPro

June 1, 202619 min

142: Tricia Marsherall on Clean Data, Clear Strategy, and How Donor Databases Really Work

Tricia Marsherall, founder of Donor Database Experts, has seen it all: nonprofits convinced their database is broken, teams without a shared definition of "major gift," and the costly mistake of switching systems to solve a strategy problem. In this episode, she shares what thriving fundraising operations actually look like — and the preventative care every nonprofit needs. Resources Mentioned Connect with Tricia on LinkedIn Donor Database Experts | Knowledge Hub Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't | Jim Collins Read More on the Learning Edge Blog

May 4, 202627 min

141: Valerie Anastasio on the K-Shaped Economy and the Ultra-Wealthy Donor

Fundraising consultant Valerie Anastasio explains the K-shaped economy, why the ultra-wealthy require discipline rather than optimism from researchers, and how to focus on the 10% of high-net-worth prospects who actually align with your mission—instead of chasing every billionaire. Connect with Valerie Anastasio: LinkedIn Inside Philanthropy by David Callahan: insidephilanthropy.com The Wall Street Journal: wsj.com Bloomberg: bloomberg.com Read More on the Learning Edge Blog

April 6, 202619 min

140: When Portfolio Management Isn't Working: Amy Modin's Advice for Starting Over

Amy Modin, Director of Research and Prospect Management at the U.S. Air Force Academy Foundation, shares how she rebuilt a broken portfolio management system by meeting fundraisers where they are, building trust through humility, and showing up consistently—even when best practices don't fit. Connect with Amy on LinkedIn Read More on the Learning Edge Blog

March 2, 202622 min

139: Vered Siegel on Why Judgment Is the New Scarce Resource in Fundraising

Vered Siegel, CFRE, Director of Prospect Management and Research at American Friends of the Hebrew University, unpacks what it really means to be a strategic partner in the age of AI—and why judgment, not information, is now the scarcest resource in fundraising operations. Resources Mentioned Connect with Vered Siegel : LinkedIn | Website Don't Just Ask the Database Directly | Vered Siegel | White Paper | 2026 What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets by Michael J. Sandel Moralizing Technology: Understanding and Designing the Morality of Things by Peter-Paul Verbeek The Ethics of Ambiguity by Simone de Beauvoir Association of Advancement Services Professionals (AASP) Read More on the Learning Edge Blog

February 2, 202617 min

138: Derry Deringer on Major Gift Success Through Transparency and Partnership

Major gift consultant Derry Deringer shares how prospect researchers can build fundraiser confidence through focused partnerships and why transparency with donors trumps perfection Read More on the Learning Edge Blog Resources Mentioned Derry Deringer | Connect on LinkedIn | Website: Deringer Consulting

January 5, 202618 min

137: Will Schrepferman on AI-Powered Prospect Research with DonorAtlas

AI isn't just coming to prospect research—it's already here, and it's changing how organizations identify and understand their donors. Will Schrepferman shares why he developed DonorAtlas. Read More on the Learning Edge Blog DonorAtlas | Solutions for Nonprofits Will Schrepferman | Connect on LinkedIn CARA Webinar | The Prospect Research Live Challenge: Race, Vote, and Win Better Prospects with AI | 1-2pm ET | Registration

December 9, 202522 min

136: Diana Marquis on How the Development Director Doing It All Can Succeed with Major Gifts

Diana Marquis, founder of DMgroup Consulting, reveals how to manage major gifts with limited resources—and why good prospect research is the secret weapon every development director needs. Read More in the Learning Edge Blog Resources Mentioned Connect with Diana: LinkedIn | DMgroup Consulting