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December 5, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

Chapters in the Story: Going Beyond Ancestry for Genealogical Research

This article by my colleague Jayme Klein truly is a gift appropriate for the festive season. December is a month when lots of folks gather with family to celebrate the holidays, and so it’s a great time for Jayme to remind us that many times researching a prospect well requires finding out more about their family and forbears. ~Helen


As most of us know, research on a prospect isn’t really just about them. Wealth capacity can involve a spouse, parents, a child. When we’re tasked with telling someone’s story, sometimes we have to go back a few chapters.

Genealogical research is popular, and, as I can attest, addictive. But it can also add another angle to your prospect research by providing basic information such as birth dates and past addresses, giving context to family gifts, finding the background of a person named in a gift and establishing reasons for multi-generational wealth.

Due to their success and marketing, Ancestry is synonymous with genealogical material. However, it can be cost-prohibitive for small nonprofits unless you are accessing it from your local library. Luckily, there are plenty of free resources that can help you along the journey of your prospect’s family.

FamilySearch

FamilySearch is the main competitor to Ancestry. Users must create a profile, but access is free. The site offers both national and international records, from vitals (birth, death, marriage) to military records, probate/estate records and naturalization forms. I regularly cross-check records on Ancestry with those on FamilySearch, since dates and transcription standards differ from site to site.

Information that Ancestry didn’t think was necessary to transcribe can show up on FamilySearch, such as parents’ or spouse’s names on a birth or death record.

Geni

If you aren’t sure that you have the right person, double-checking on another site is a quick way to confirm you have your match. Another site, geni.com, requires a paid subscription, but many members make their family trees public. It can be a good start before confirming the facts.

Find a Grave

If you are trying to confirm a prospect’s ancestors, cemetery records are another way to answer questions about dates as well as familial relationships. Find a Grave is a volunteer-run site that populates photos and transcriptions of cemeteries worldwide.

Depending on how lax the rules are, or how friendly the office is, calling a cemetery can often confirm the names of other family members buried in a plot or who is financially responsible for their care.

Location, location, location

Steve Morse, a retired computer engineer, created an essential guide to census, passenger, translation and religious records. It is an easy way to significantly reduce the time it takes to search records that may not have been transcribed on the main genealogy sites. It offers search tools for records in Canada, Europe and the United States.

Want more international content? Try Google’s newspaper archive.

Researching in a specific region? The Ancestor Hunt makes it much easier to find what is available within Canada and individual areas within the United States. It is updated regularly and highlights any new items added (a big help to those of us that look at the same sites often).

If you are Facebook-oriented, there are hundreds of genealogy groups, many that are public, that break down research by location, country of origin and ethnic background.

Regardless of your prospect’s heritage, if they are from New York, the Italian Genealogical Group has created a fantastic index of what might be available.

New York courts also have marriage and divorce records. While it can be confusing, every state, county and town offer different information at different price points (some are free). A region’s historical society or regional religious organization can help break down brick walls.

More library magic

Don’t put away your library card just yet. Another tool for those trying to figure out the world of genealogy is a searchable archive of genealogical books.

Many libraries have genealogy-specific subscriptions that don’t require any payment the user. GenealogyBank is a tremendous newspaper archive (11,000 individual titles) from across the United States.

Town and academic libraries have a wealth of local information, including newspaper archives, naturalization records, even Sanborn maps – fire insurance surveys that specify businesses along city streets.

Many libraries will do lookups for free or for a small fee, if you know what you’re looking for, even if you don’t live in the area that your prospect’s family originated. County clerk offices often have naturalization and other vital records available – some that are digitized, depending on the location, others available for a small fee (often a few cents per page for a copy).

A little elbow grease can help, too

If you really need to dig, your State Archives have millions of records not yet digitized and ready for you to practice (or refresh) your microfiche skills.

It can be frustrating to find out that what you need is not indexed, digitized or even available, but there is a noble group trying to make them public. Reclaim the Records works through freedom of information laws (FOIA) to cut through red tape and bureaucracy to make records available to the public and digitize them for future use. A 501c3 made of volunteer researchers, historians, genealogists and open government advocates, they make sure that everything they uncover is put online for free for the public good. Their website is worth a look to see what they have achieved and are currently working on. If there’s information you need that is tied up, let them know!

What genealogical resources do you use to write your prospect’s story?

Filed Under: Effective searching, Researching Individuals Tagged With: genealogical research, Jayme Klein, prospect research

November 7, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

Profile of a DAF and its donor

This week we welcome my colleague Michele Borucki to The Intelligent Edge. Michele has been spending a lot of time studying Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) lately, and our friends at iWave asked her to write an article for their wonderful blog on the topic. I thought it was terrificly informative, so I wanted to share it here with you as well. Re-shared here with kind permission of iWave, and with thanks to Michele! ~Helen


What is a DAF?

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a charitable giving vehicle administered by a public charity created to manage donations on behalf of organizations, families, or individuals. DAFs are not new in the philanthropic realm, but they are certainly on the rise. According to the 2019 Fidelity Charitable Giving Report, donations made from Fidelity DAFs in 2018 totaled $5.2 billion, a 17% increase from 2017. Fidelity also stated that 60% of these donations were unrestricted. This a big deal and very good news for organizations seeking support.

Quick DAF facts:

  1. DAFs can only distribute grants to 501(c)(3) organizations.
  2. A fund can have multiple donors (ex: different members of the donor’s family can contribute) and advisors.
  3. The threshold and fees to establish a DAF varies based on which sponsoring organization is holding the funds, but they all follow essentially the same structure: a minimum initial contribution (Fidelity’s is as low as $5,000), annual account management fees, and occasionally, a one-time setup fee is required.
  4. Donors can elect to remain anonymous; however, according to this report from Vanguard Charitable, only 5% of their grants are anonymous, with Fidelity reporting that only 3% of theirs are anonymous. A quick iWave donations search can reveal an abundance of DAF donor information your organization can use to begin identifying and cultivating new prospects.
  5. Funds being held in a DAF don’t have to be distributed immediately (although Fidelity reports that 75% of grant dollars are distributed within 5 years.) These funds can even outlive their donors, so a successor is often named to take over advisor privileges in the event of a death.
  6. A donor receives tax benefits immediately after they put money into the fund, not when the funds are distributed to the charitable organization(s) of their choice.

Types of DAFs

  • Commercial Funds: Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, etc.
  • Community Foundations: Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Tampa Bay (The Council on Foundations has a foundation map to locate one in your area).
  • Institutional DAFs: Higher education organizations, Independent charities (ex: The Nature Conservancy).
  • Boutique/Hybrid: Family offices or investment management firms.

The attraction to using commercial funds or community foundations for a DAF is the ease of access for the donor. Apps and account access through the organization’s website allows the donor to make immediate contributions or to see the activity in their fund whenever they want.

Types of contributions

One of the primary benefits of using a DAF is that a donor doesn’t necessarily have to contribute liquid assets to their funds. The National Philanthropic Trust 2018 Donor Advised Fund Report stated that approximately 60% of contributions were non-cash assets including securities, business interests, real estate, fine art, and jewelry. Using illiquid assets for charitable grants is on the rise, and we will definitely see a significant increase in the next few years as donors see how easy it is for DAFs to turn these assets into grants that will make an impact for the organizations and causes they are passionate about. Some donors have already caught on and use their contributions for impact investments to double the influence of their philanthropy.

So, who are DAF donors?

The DAF donor is a savvy philanthropist. They understand the importance of financial planning and know how to maximize their philanthropic experience to benefit their personal financial well-being as well as that of the organizations they choose to support.

A few other characteristics of a DAF donor:

  • They understand that setting up a DAF is much easier, and significantly less expensive, than starting a foundation, as there is no overhead. The convenience and ease of access to their fund and their advisor provides a more streamlined giving experience so they are more likely to continue making contributions and grants.
  • These types of donors value relationships; they choose a sponsor organization and advisor that they can trust to understand their philanthropic priorities and execute their grantmaking. Cultivating and stewarding a donor is always an important step in the life cycle of a grant, but the opportunity to cultivate a DAF sponsor organization should not be missed either.
  • These donors are not new to philanthropy and are often members of philanthropic families.
  • They are planning for their future and establishing these funds in their 50’s and 60’s to continue giving through retirement and using the fund to make planned gifts.
  • Some donors have complex assets and use a DAF as an opportunity to leverage their illiquid assets to the benefit of the causes and organizations they care about.
  • DAFs aren’t just for the ultra-high net worth donor anymore. The median Fidelity account balance in 2018 was $17,760, which is less than a major gift for many charitable organizations, and only 42% of accounts had a balance over $25,000.
  • DAF donors focus their giving locally, with over half of grants being distributed to organizations in their home state.

Ways to attract a DAF donor

 Introducing yourself and cultivating a DAF donor isn’t always possible, as sponsor organizations don’t offer an easy way to access their customers. The best way to let these organizations know you accept these types of donations is by advertising on your website and making it clear on gift acknowledgement letters. Also, getting to know the administrators of local sponsor organizations and community foundations can be beneficial; after all, they are the people with access and who can recommend your organization to their customers. Make it a priority to engage these donors by providing access to volunteer opportunities, major gift mailings, and events.

The rise in donors choosing DAFs as their giving vehicle shows us that this method of grantmaking is here to stay. It’s important to not let these donors go unnoticed, or your organization will have missed out on tapping a valuable resource.      

Filed Under: Campaign Success, Prospect identification, Researching Individuals Tagged With: DAFs, Donor advised funds, Michel Borucki

October 3, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

A Peek Into Exclusive Golf Club Memberships

Sometimes when you’re in the middle of researching someone, you never know what piece of information is going to provide you with insight into their wealth. This week my colleague Heather Hoke wrote a treat of an article on exclusive golf clubs and how much a person would need to spend (or earn) to belong. Enjoy! ~Helen


We frequently associate private golf clubs with wealth and privilege. What comes to mind is perfectly manicured grounds, beautiful scenery, a massive clubhouse, parking valets, and members sipping cocktails in a room with an abundance of dark paneling. There is a high price to membership for such clubs with elite rosters, with initiation fees that can reach seven figures, and wait lists that can be years long.

The most exclusive golf clubs are quite secretive about the cost of membership and the process to become a member. Most are by invitation only and require that an existing member (or two or three) refer someone for membership. Then the Board often evaluates each candidate as well.

Among the costs to join a club are an initiation fee, annual dues, and a monthly minimum spend for food and drink. Some clubs also divide up the cost of grounds maintenance among its members.

How do you find out if someone is a member of an exclusive golf club?

I use GHIN (Golf Handicap and Information Network) which is a handicapping service provided by the U.S. Golf Association. There are more than 14,000 participating clubs and more than 2 million golfers using GHIN, and usage has expanded outside the U.S., too. It’s a great resource to check if an individual is a golfer and what clubs they are members of, and it is also a way to find possible connections to your organization. Here are some of the priciest clubs:

Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA
  • Initiation fee: $250,000-$500,000; Annual dues: $10,000+
  • Home to the prestigious Masters tournament and voted the #1 Platinum Club of the World, Golf & Country Clubs for 2018-19, membership is strictly invitation only. In fact, making it known that you are interested in being a member is a sure way not to be invited! The club’s 300 members are not allowed to speak publicly about club policy.
The Bridge in Bridgehampton, NY
  • Initiation fee: $1 million
  • It has only about 150 members and is not a traditional club. It has a contemporary clubhouse with a relaxed atmosphere where wearing jeans or a cap are encouraged.
Cherokee Town and Country Club in Atlanta, GA
  • Initiation fee: $200,000; Annual dues: $7,500
  • To be considered for membership, a recommendation must be made by at least four members.
The Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, IL
  • Fees: Unknown
  • One of the five founding clubs of the U.S. Golf Association in 1894, this club limits its members to about 100.
Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD
  • Initiation fee: $150,000
  • Founded in 1924, members of Congress and U.S. Presidents are among the membership. There is a 10-year wait list.
The Country Club in Brookline, MA
  • Fees: Unknown
  • This was the first country club in the U.S., starting as an equestrian and social club in 1882 (golf being introduced in 1893). It is surrounded by fence and has a guard house with a “guard” that is a mannequin named “Woody.” It has been selected to host the 2022 U.S. Open.
Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, CA
  • The fees are determined by yearly running costs which are divided between members regardless of how often they use the club. It has 200-250 members and on average, only 30 golfers play a day.
East Hampton Golf Club in East Hampton, NY
  • Initiation fee: $400,000
  • Members must either have a net worth of $1 million+ (excluding homes and cars) or earn more than $200,000 a year.
Fishers Island Club in Fishers Island, NY
  • Fees: Unknown
  • It is only accessible by ferry or private plane.
Friar’s Head in Riverhead, NY
  • Initiation fee: $250,000+
  • Described by some as feeling like a new-age luxury hotel, it has its own helicopter approach and landing pad.
Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles, CA
  • Initiation fee: $185,000-$275,000
  • A home visit and tax returns are requirements for membership.
Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City, NJ
  • Initiation fee: $450,000-$500,000; Annual dues: $29,000
  • Across from Manhattan, it has a marina and private vessel for its 200 members. It cost $250 million to build, making it the most expensive golf course ever built.
The Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles, CA
  • Fees: Unknown
  • It’s considered ultra-exclusive and has a strict no ‘movie-star’ policy. It will be the location for the 2023 U.S. Open.
Nanea Golf Club in Kailua-Kona, HI
  • Fees: Unknown
  • Since its creation in 2003, it has become one of the most exclusive, secluded and secretive clubs in the world. Membership is by invitation only and it is even difficult to find by GPS.
National Golf Links of America in Southampton, NY
  • Initiation fee: $150,000+; Annual dues: $10,000
  • Opened in 1909 by a group of Wall Street executives, it has earned the nickname “America’s Snootiest Golf Course.”
Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, PA
  • Initiation fee: $75,000+
  • Apart from Augusta National, Oakmont has hosted more major Championships than any other course in the U.S. and is considered one of the toughest courses in the world.
Pine Valley Golf Club in Pine Valley, NJ
  • Fees: Unknown
  • The member list is a closely guarded secret of the Board, who are the only ones allowed to extend invitations to potential members. The membership is male-only, with women allowed to play on Sundays.
Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, NY
  • Initiation fee: $650,000-$1 million
  • Membership is capped at 200 at this club on 300-acres of waterfront.
Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, FL
  • Fees: Unknown
  • With only 300 members, it is so exclusive it even turned down golf pro Jack Nicklaus. Members get to take part in an annual tournament where members are paired with pro golfers.
Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA
  • Initiation fee: $160,000-$200,000; Annual dues: $7,300
  • It has around 475 members, including many Hollywood stars.
Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, NY
  • Fees: Unknown
  • Host of the 2018 U.S. Open, it is the #3 Platinum Club of the World, Golf & Country Clubs 2018-19. Members can invite guests, but guest tee times usually fill up months in advance and there is a $350 green fee.
Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY
  • Initiation fee: $200,000+
  • It will host the 2020 U.S. Open.

This is just a glimpse into some of the priciest golf clubs. Do you have any to add to the list? What exclusive clubs are near you?

Filed Under: Prospect identification, Researching Individuals Tagged With: exclusive clubs, golf, Heather Hoke

August 29, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

A snippet of usefulness from the World Wealth Report

Prospect research is an artfully scientific mixture of fact and conjecture. We spend a lot of time delving into sources of record like newspapers, SEC documents, real estate records, contact reports and other records from our own databases. Then we add informed opinion like white papers, rich lists, and our own experience. If we’re lucky, we can include some data science into the mix.

As we mature in the profession, what we become comfortable with is a curious amalgamation of truth and speculation that we use to rank, score, and predict which groups of people or individuals are likeliest to give to our organization.

It’s not a perfect science yet, but over the years we prospect development pros have gotten pretty good at uncovering useful information and helping organizations use it successfully. According to a recent MarketSmart major gift benchmark study, 84% of nonprofits that use prospect research meet their fundraising goals every year. Only 65% of nonprofits who don’t use prospect research meet their goals (which, you could argue is still pretty good odds, but why not be better prepared and 20% more likely to succeed?)

Last week I highlighted the Fidelity Donor Advised Fund Charitable Giving Report, which is worth adding to your reading list if you haven’t already (especially if your nonprofit type is in one of the top 5 giving priorities).

This week I want to highlight a key graphic in the 2019 Capgemini World Wealth Report (WWR) and add a little context.

In the graphic we can see the different categories of assets that high net worth individuals (HNWI) worldwide tend to hold, and the percentage of their assets that each category is.

How can we use this?

Research on people who live outside of the US is traditionally more difficult than domestic research, so any piece of information on international prospects is potentially useful. But specifically, let’s say you know one piece of the puzzle; that your French prospect has two properties beside their home. Once you find the value (or relative value) of those two properties, you know from the chart that those properties make up 14.5% of their total wealth. Calculate a back-of-the-envelope total visible asset figure et voilà.

No, it’s not hard, specific, factual, information about the individual you are researching, but it is another piece of the puzzle that you can use to get a less fuzzy picture of your prospective donor.

Something else I found interesting in the report was the discussion on how those asset allocations have changed since last year. Nervous HNW investors (whose wealth decreased last year) are moving their money out of equities and into cash, cash equivalents, fixed-income investments, and alternative investments like commodities and private equity. Does this point toward another global recession? Maybe not, but it sure doesn’t suggest that they’re bullish.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the World Wealth Report, and if you found anything interesting in it that you’d like to share here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Effective searching, News, Non-profit trends, Researching Individuals Tagged With: Capgemini, World Wealth Report

August 8, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

How GIS mapping can improve your real estate searching

This week I’m delighted to welcome Senior Researcher Josh Ostroski back to The Intelligent Edge. If you’re a long-time reader, you’ll know that Josh is our go-to guy on real estate research here at HBG, and this week he has a great article to share on a very clever way to find property information. Take it away, Josh! ~Helen


I had planned to write a blog post about some of the things I’ve learned in my 15 years as a Prospect Researcher since all I ever seem to write about is real estate. However, I’ve been noticing a new trend while researching properties that I think would be helpful for everyone – Assessor GIS Mapping – so I decided to go for a real estate theme for a blog post again.

Geographic Information System, or GIS mapping for short, is not necessarily a new technology, but I’ve noticed that it has popped up on most of the assessor sites now. I’ve found it so helpful that I wanted to share it so that more in the prospect development world are aware of it.

What is GIS Mapping?

GIS Mapping allows you to search for a property by address or by location and you will be able to see the property lines and, in most cases at least, who owns it and basic information about the property. Like all assessor sites, not all counties in the country share the same information and some are more robust than others.

Each site has its unique features and allows you to see different information, so be patient and play with each county (or sometimes state) sites. Even if it doesn’t give you all the information you need, you can at least have a visual of what the property looks like. Then you can use what you know and other resources to find out more specific information about the property. Often times the traditional assessor site will have more robust information on its site about the property.

Here is an example of what the map looks like. Each separate lot is outlined and you can simply click on the lot (be aware that some GIS Maps require you click on a tool in order for the assessor information to pop up), and the information will come up.

How is GIS Mapping Helpful?

I always use this feature when I’m looking at a property that has multiple lots; that way I can see what the property actually looks like. I’ve also found it helpful when someone may have multiple lots, but they are owned by different LLC’s or by family members.

Another way it is useful is when a mailing address and a property address don’t match. Sometimes that could be because the property is split between different streets or the owners bought an adjacent lot at a later date and use that mailing address.

Below is a screenshot from the San Miguel County, Colorado, GIS Mapping site. The property in question was located at 115 Francisco, Telluride, CO, which is Tom Cruise’s estate. It has been on the market for $59M.

What this shows us is that the property is owned by Client 2177 Living Trust, which if you run the property report shows an address in Los Angeles, CA, that is home to Chapman Bird Grey & Tessler, a Hollywood business management firm that Tom Cruise has been associated with. The other thing it shows is the properties adjacent to the main home that are owned by the same entity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this example, the adjacent properties are owned by the same name, but I have often found the names can be different but have the same mailing address. One example I came across just the other day was a home in New Jersey that consisted of six separate lots; each lot owned by a different limited liability company (LLC) (ex: 123 Briar Lane Acquisiton LLC, 129 Briar Lane Acquisiton LLC).

I always use a satellite view when using the GIS Mapping tool (I actually always use satellite view in life); that way you can really see what the home and property look like. You can also sometimes tell if a home was recently renovated or differs from what the assessment records indicate, which could be due to a delay in new information being uploaded.

Another example of how this has been very useful was a request from a gift officer after a meeting with a prospect. The prospect had mentioned in passing that he was selling some land he had accumulated over the years to a developer. It turned out he owned dozens of separate lots, all under different LLC’s and many with different mailing addresses. By using the GIS Map, I was able to click on all the lots in the area and determine if they were his or not.

He was indeed selling them off and to a developer that was building a new golf course community. We were also able to tell which lots he had recently sold and for how much. With traditional resources, it would have taken me much much longer to do and I don’t think it would have been as accurate.

How to Find GIS Mapping Tools

NETROnline.com is a great resource for individual assessor sites, including listing GIS Mapping links. The assessor sites are under the Public Records Online tab.

You can also do a search for “[County Name] Assessor GIS Map” and you will probably have luck. I’ve rarely found a county that does not have this capability. There are some outliers: Massachusetts, for example, does not do it by county, but the entire state has one map you can search.

Let me know what you think of GIS mapping tools, and what other interesting tools you use to find real estate information.

Filed Under: Effective searching, Researching Companies, Researching Individuals Tagged With: GIS mapping, Josh Ostroski, prospect research, real estate

August 1, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

Quantifying Crowdfunding: Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress

A few weeks ago, I received a request from a blog reader:

“I would be interested in an article on the topic of social media fundraising and prospect research. For example, a prospect giving to a Facebook birthday fundraiser for Save the Whales. My understanding is that donations to something like that won’t appear on iWave under the donor’s name because the donations are grouped together. Any ideas on how to quantify donations you may see on someone’s social media account?”

I know that this is a topic that has interested Brent Grinna of EverTrue for a long time, so I asked Brent if he’d be willing to tackle this question. I’m delighted that he said yes! Thanks, Brent, for sharing your thoughts here! ~Helen


$24,000 to monitor the health of honeybees. $10,000 to bring water filters to a girls’ school in Bangladesh. $250,000 to build an educational therapy center for special needs children in a remote area of India.

Each crowdfunding success story is completely unique. What they all have in common is their reliance on a large number of donors giving small amounts…and spreading the word organically.

Crowdfunding has changed the face of philanthropy in recent years and left many traditional fundraising institutions wondering how best to harness its power and mitigate its risks. Nonprofits around the world have successfully launched crowdfunding campaigns to send student groups on mission-driven trips abroad, support a specific research project, or cover a unique, one-off initiative. Many institutions have embraced this uncertain fundraising approach and reaped significant benefits, both for donor engagement and for major gift pipeline.

The authentic, actionable, impactful nature of crowdfunding campaigns is what makes them so compelling. Friends, coworkers, and family are the donor base, and we are intrinsically driven by a sense of community and a desire to join the crowd. Especially if the crowd shares a common commitment to make the world a better place.

At EverTrue, we’ve been especially proud of many of our advancement friends for holding their noses and jumping into the crowdfunding game. In some ways, it has been a counter-cultural move, but so many organizations now have a myriad of success stories on smaller projects and programs that would not have been possible without crowdfunding, with donors that would have otherwise been disengaged (take the University of Oregon, for example).

Now that many nonprofits have embraced crowdfunding and are currently coordinating and managing a number of campaigns, we’re collectively faced with the question of how to identify, quantify, and steward donors to crowdfunding campaigns?

We struggle right alongside our fundraising partners to answer this question. Part of the struggle is due to the fact that many crowdfunding donors choose to be anonymous or donate under a pseudonym. And if the campaign is not managed by an advancement employee who has established a direct link between the crowdfunding software and the school’s CRM, identifying donors is even more elusive.

We may never arrive at the moment where we can identify every person who has donated to a crowdfunding campaign. But, think about this: perhaps we don’t actually need or even want to.

Donors who give to crowdfunding campaigns are exploring a new means of supporting their favorite nonprofit or cause. If they’ve chosen to give anonymously to a small-scale cause they care about, it wouldn’t be donor-centric to move that individual through the traditional donor pipeline by mailing them letters of thanks, adding them to telefund lists, and listing them on the printed donor roster.

Rather than give in to the “Quick! Quantify!” urge, remember first and foremost that these donors are engaging authentically and organically with a cause that resonates with them.

Before jumping to examine crowdfunding campaigns through traditional fundraising lens, fight that impulse. And instead, remain curious. What about these crowdfunding campaigns is working, and what isn’t? How are previously disengaged donors reacting? How many anonymous donors are there? Does the crowdfunding campaign have a defined purpose and impact statement? And, how can these insights inform the more traditional fundraising approaches of our development offices?

The suggestion to remain curious isn’t a decree to sit back and let it all unfold. There are ways to identify engaged donors and begin understanding the crowdfunding donor profile. Start by taking lessons from these campaigns and replicating them in the more familiar and comfortable annual/regular giving space (all with the vision to build your major gift pipeline). Here are some suggestions for that:

  • Ensure that crowdfunding campaigns are shared on your school’s professionally managed social media sites. Track likes, reactions, shares and comments on campaign posts. Use this valuable data to build insights on crowdfunding donors, and route them to annual fund or major gift portfolios, as appropriate.
  • Take note of the powerful effect of peer-to-peer fundraising, especially on social media. Who are your social media champions? Which of your alumni, members, friends, patients, etc. are highly engaged on your nonprofit’s social media accounts? How can you earn the respect and trust of these champions so that they can help to spread the word about your nonprofit’s longer-term fundraising priorities by sharing relevant content across their social networks? (Look to Oklahoma State for insights on how they increased donations to the marching band by 40%.)
  • Do not miss the opportunity to learn about the programs that are being supported by successful crowdfunding campaigns. These are causes, however small, that your constituents genuinely care about. Do your research; meet with campus partners; discover whether there is a program or project that needs longer-term, more sustainable support.
  • Bring the crowdfunding model to a larger scale. Work with your Development Communications team to create inspiring, relevant content on that program area. Share it across your organization’s social media platforms. Track results. And take action on every engaged constituent. (Does this sound like a larger scale crowdfunding campaign? It should!)

We understand that the fact that we can’t pin down and call every donor to a crowdfunding campaign feels inherently like a missed opportunity. But rather than try to make crowdfunding fit into the traditional fundraising model at your organization, think of it as an incredibly useful pilot program that you can learn so much from. Remember: change is the only constant in life!

We are EverTrue are working closely with Facebook to explore the back-end capabilities of Facebook Fundraiser for gathering useful donor data and insights. There is more to come, but suffice it to say that we look forward to sharing what we learn with all of you!

In the meantime, don’t miss the opportunity to track engagement with crowdfunding campaigns on your nonprofit’s social media pages. But by the same token, don’t spend frustrated hours trying to identify and quantify every donor that made it possible for your school’s a cappella group to travel overseas for a competition. Instead, learn what made this mini-campaign so successful, and replicate it on a larger scale using the well-established resources of an advancement shop. (UVA took this approach and funded two $3M professorships.)

All the while, keep in mind that tapping in donor interests and acquiring donors via targeted campaigns is the first step towards building long-term philanthropic relationship.

Curiosity will build a bridge between the old and the new. Good luck (to all of us)!


Brent Grinna founded EverTrue in 2010. He is CEO of the company, which has 50 employees and is based in the beautiful seaport area of Boston, MA. Brent is on Twitter at @BrentGrinna.

Filed Under: Campaign Success, Researching Individuals, Social Media Tagged With: Brent Grinna, crowdfunding, EverTrue, prospect research

June 13, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

7 Highlights from the Knight Frank Wealth Report

One of the yearly reports that sends a tingle up the collective spines of the prospect research community is The Wealth Report from Knight Frank. The 2019 edition came out this week, and my copy is already highlighted and sticky-noted – how ‘bout yours?

If you haven’t had a chance to download and read it yet, here are seven highlights I didn’t want you to miss… [Read more…]

Filed Under: International prospect research, News, Prospect identification, Researching Individuals Tagged With: Knight Frank Wealth Report

June 6, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

How the wealthy say ‘I do’ to philanthropy

Since June is the most popular month for the pledging of troths, it got me to thinking about The Giving Pledge, which is an organization of billionaires who pledge to give away 50% of their fortunes while they’re still alive.

I realized that I hadn’t really heard much about the Giving Pledge when it resurfaced in the news recently with MacKenzie Bezos’s sign-up. That could be because interest in the club seems to have waned a bit in the decade since Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet splashed out the announcement at its founding. 122 people signed on in the first four years, but only 68 have committed in the five years that have followed. [Read more…]

Filed Under: News, Non-profit trends, Researching Individuals Tagged With: Bridgespan Group, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Founders Pledge, Giving Pledge, high net worth individuals, HNWI, Pledge 1%, UHNWI, ultra high net worth individuals

May 23, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

The Unease of the One Percent

We talk about “the 1 percent” a lot in our line of work. Yesterday, the HBG Book Club met to talk about chapter one of Uneasy Street; The Anxieties of Affluence by sociologist Rachel Sherman, and what spurred most of our conversation was the ambivalence high net worth people had toward their wealth.

In the book, Sherman interviewed wealthy Manhattan-ites to learn their attitudes towards their wealth and what they felt it means to be considered wealthy. She recognized a distinct pattern over time, and shares two distinct categories she observed depending on how people spoke about their wealth: upwardly- and downwardly-oriented attitudes.

The “downward-oriented” wealthy share an unease with having so many resources in a time of stark income disparity. Sherman found that this group are more likely to have inherited their wealth or have come from more modest origins. Most are not in a high-pressure earning environment. More liberal politically than the upwardly-oriented, people in this group are be more likely to mix with a more racially and income diverse group of friends. We posited that people with these attitudes might fall into the shirtsleeves-rolled-up volunteer-donor category.

The “upwardly-oriented” wealthy, she wrote, tend toward the attitude of “sure, I’m comfortable, but not like that guy. He’s really wealthy. I’m middle class compared to him.” There aren’t many inheritors in this group; they tend to be earners who make their money in finance, real estate, business, or corporate law. More conservative politically than the downwardly-oriented, their charity involvement may be less hands-on and more focused on opportunities to network with others.

As we were discussing this chapter, I was thinking about what it actually means to be a one-percenter, and if the attitudes of Manhattan one-percenters toward their money are the same as Mercer Island’s, or England’s, or if each locale’s attitude is like Darwin’s finches – unique to that island.

Naturally, I decided to do some research to see what it means to be a one-percenter elsewhere than New York City. Unsurprisingly, it really depends on your geography. Someone working in a senior leadership position in a large nonprofit in New York, Boston, or San Francisco would probably qualify as a one-percenter in Arkansas, where in 2017 the bar was set at annual income of $237,428.

Before seeing the article, I had assumed that NYC would be the top, but Connecticut actually beat out New York by a mile, $659,979 to $517,557. Even New Jersey got New York’s upper hand, at $547,737. What’s also fascinating to see in the article is that the average annual income for members of the one percent in each state is usually much, much higher than the threshold.

What we discussed in our book club was being aware of these geographic differences and, as always, understanding the context of where our prospects are in their life – living in an aspirational neighborhood with two kids in private school, or two-income, childless and nearing retirement. Taking Sherman’s observations into consideration as well – whether prospects are upwardly- or downwardly-oriented – may also provide us with help as we plan how to involve and steward major donors and volunteers.

Are you reading this book as well? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Filed Under: HBG Book Club, Non-profit trends, Researching Individuals Tagged With: affluence, HBG Book Club, one percent, Rachel Sherman, wealth

May 9, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

A hole in the water

I recently became the owner of the rear half of a tandem kayak, and what I very quickly learned is that the adage “a boat is a hole in the water that you throw money into” is no joke. After paddles, roof racks, waterproof bags, storage racks, water shoes, skirts, and other must-have sundries (and this is a KAYAK, mind you) I’m beginning to get an idea of what yacht owners have to go through.

Well, okay, what yacht owners’ employees have to go through. The ones who oversee the dingy in the 15th storage hold. But still. I get it. There’s a lot of stuff beyond just the boat that you have to account for. Some more than others.

One thing I don’t have to do (that yacht owners do) is register the boat/yacht. That noise you heard last week was a team cheer that went up in our company chat room when our colleague, Kelly, discovered that Lexis Nexis is now featuring Watercraft as a searchable field.

LexisNexis says:

  [t]he Watercraft file contains Boat Registrations and Titles for 38 states (25 updating and 13 historical (including US Coast Guard Merchant Vessels)).

Updating coverage includes 25 states:

AK, AL, AR, AZ, CT, FL, GA, IA, KS, KY, ME, MA, MI, MS, MO, NE, NM, ND, OH, OR, TX, VA, WA, WI, and WY.

Historical coverage includes 13 states + U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Vessels:

CO, IL, MD, MN, MT, NV, NH, NY, NC, SC, TN, UT, WV, and US Coast Guard Merchant Vessels.”

So that’s exciting, eh? Even more exciting is that the records include (among other things) the owner’s name and mailing address; hull number; description (year, make, model and length); registration number, issue date, expiration date and status; title number; title status, title issue date and title type; and vessel make, use, year, type and length.

Most of those fields are searchable as well as some additional ones, like company name.

I know! Awesome, right?

But wait, there’s more

For due diligence research, you can search the US Coast Guard Maritime Information Exchange database to learn if there has been any contact between the Coast Guard and the vessel you’re researching – and what the nature of that contact was. It’s not a detailed report by any means, but I did learn that in 2015 a 38-foot pleasure craft called the ‘Monkey Business’ ran afoul of the Coast Guard in Washington, DC for being a pollution source. (That’s what dump stations are for, mateys).

Interested to learn more about a particular Super Yacht? Check out the database at SuperYachts. You can search by name of the craft or just browse through the entire database. In addition to the general specifications of the yacht, including the designer, builder, and dimensions, there are usually photos of the ship, information about the number of crew on board, and the name of the owner (if known).

What It Really Costs

Owning a superyacht takes a lot more than the couple of hundred bucks I plowed into peripherals for my kayak. I found these articles about the affiliated costs of yacht ownership to be a useful guide to understand that asset in context.

Lightening Round – useful boat-related sites

These five resources (and many more) can be found on the HBG Research Links pages, accessible through the free-with-registration portal on our website.

  • Very enlightening interviews about on-board life with captains of various superyachts can be found in the News section of the Axxess Marine website.
  • Want to get an idea of the value of a particular vessel? Try looking at sales prices for the same boat or a similar model at Boats.com.
  • The folks at BoatInfoWorld have compiled a database of over 400,000 vessels, sortable, downloadable, and ranked by county, if you like. King County, WA wins the prize for most boats registered, in case you were wondering. It’s $20/month to access detailed information and use advanced search strategies, but if you search for boats a lot it might be worth it.
  • Want to check out yachts owned by celebrities? Here’s the website for you.
  • If you want to race a yacht, you have to register for the race. Check out Yachtscoring.com, where you can select a race, see which yachts are racing in it (“Current Entry List”), the name of each boat’s owner(s), home yacht club/home port, size of the yacht, and more.

What other resources do you find useful when researching yacht owners? Share them here in the comments for everyone to use.

Filed Under: Prospect identification, Researching Individuals Tagged With: boats, Lexis Nexis, LNDP, prospect research, wealth indicators, yachts

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Josh began his career in development as the Phonathon Coordinator at Keene State College. He then worked at non-profit consulting firm Schultz & Williams in Philadelphia.

He started his research career at the University of Pennsylvania as a Research Assistant in 2005. He then moved over to the Wharton School of Business, where he became the Associate Director, Research and Prospect Management. Josh joined the Helen Brown Group in 2016.

Josh is also a Colorado licensed Realtor and graduate of Lehigh University.

In March 2017, Kristina joined the Helen Brown Group as a Research Associate. Before joining HBG, she was the Research Manager at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and an Associate Manager of Prospect Research at City Harvest, a food rescue organization. Kristina started her non-profit career as a legal assistant at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2004.  She is a member of Apra and Apra Greater New York. She was Apra Greater New York’s Director of Programming from June 2014 to May 2016. Kristina graduated from The University of Chicago and the Bard Graduate Center.

Grace began her career in development in 2001 as Executive Assistant to the Chief Development Officer with Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), a Harvard Medical School-affiliated academic medical center.

In 2003, she became a prospect researcher for the BWH principal and major gifts team and spent the next 11 years in various research positions with BWH, culminating as Assistant Director of Prospect Research. She has been affiliated with The Helen Brown Group since January 2014.

Heather began her career in 2002 as a prospect research coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and then moved to Carroll College in 2004.

In 2005, Heather began working on her own as a freelancer and eventually started her own consulting firm, Willis Research Services, in 2007. She joined The Helen Brown Group in 2012.

Heather is a member of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement and the Montana Nonprofit Association.

Jennifer began her career in development at her alma mater, Wheaton College, where she was an administrative assistant for the major gifts department.

She joined The Helen Brown Group in March 2008. She earned a master’s degree in library science from the Southern Connecticut State University in May 2009. Jennifer is a member of APRA and NEDRA.

Rick has been a member of the Helen Brown Group team since 2005. Prior to joining HBG, Rick was director of research at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire. Rick has worked in development since 1996, both in prospect research and major gifts fund raising. His experience includes the University of Vermont, Phillips Exeter Academy and St. Paul’s School.

Rick is past president of NEDRA and is a member of and frequent volunteer for APRA.

Josh began his career in development as the Phonathon Coordinator at Keene State College. He then worked at non-profit consulting firm Schultz & Williams in Philadelphia.

He started his research career at the University of Pennsylvania as a Research Assistant in 2005. He then moved over to the Wharton School of Business, where he became the Associate Director, Research and Prospect Management. Josh joined the Helen Brown Group in 2016.

Josh is also a Colorado licensed Realtor and graduate of Lehigh University.

Mandi has worked in prospect research and management since 2006. She began her development career as a research analyst in development research at City of Hope, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in Los Angeles. From there, she became the manager of prospect development at Huntington Memorial Hospital, a community hospital in Pasadena, CA. Most recently, she was the associate director of prospect research and management at Occidental College, a private liberal arts college in LA.

Mandi has a BA degree in print journalism from Southern Methodist University and a master’s degree of library and information science from UCLA.

She joined the Helen Brown Group in May 2019.

Kelly began her career in development in 2008 as an administrative assistant in Major Gifts at Wheaton College.

In 2010, she became a research analyst at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the Division of Development & Jimmy Fund as part of the prospect identification team. Kelly joined The Helen Brown Group in 2013.

She is a member of APRA and NEDRA.

Jayme began her career in development in 2008 at the Rutgers University Foundation, where she spent the next seven years, first in prospect management and then prospect research. She spent several years at Monmouth University as their senior prospect research analyst, working with the fundraising staff, university president, and top leadership. She has worked as both a volunteer and consultant for non-profits in the areas of research and writing.

She earned a bachelor of arts degree from Drew University and a master of communication and information sciences from Rutgers University. She is a member of APRA.

Jayme joined The Helen Brown Group in April 2019.

Julie has managed finances for The Helen Brown Group since its founding.

In her spare time, she is an editor for the PBS series Masterpiece at WGBH. Julie was nominated twice for an Emmy award for her work on the PBS show Zoom.

Heather began her career in development in 2001 as a prospect researcher for National Wildlife Federation (NWF). She was with NWF for more than thirteen years, including nearly five years as director of research and analytics. Heather is a former secretary of the board of directors of APRA-Metro DC.

She joined The Helen Brown Group in October 2014.

David began his career in development at The Gunnery school in northwest Connecticut in 2011, where he worked in database management and prospect research. Subsequently, he joined the College of Saint Rose as a development research analyst before leading Albany Medical Center Foundation’s prospect research efforts as Associate Director of Prospect Research. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from Siena College and is a member of APRA and CASE.

Michele began her career in development in 2012 when she joined the UC Berkeley corporate and foundation relations team as a development analyst. She spent a year and a half at Cal before returning to UC Davis as a prospect analyst. She was with the prospect management and relations team at UC Davis for almost three years prior to joining the research and relationship management team at George Washington University as a Senior Prospect Analyst in 2016.

Michele received her BA in creative writing from Florida State University and her MA in higher education leadership from CSU Sacramento. She currently resides in Northern Virginia, is a member of Apra International, and serves as the social media chair for Apra Metro DC. Michele joined The Helen Brown Group in July 2018.

Kenny has worked in development since 1999 and has been involved in prospect research since 2002. Prior to joining The Helen Brown Group, he was the director of

Prior to joining The Helen Brown Group, he was the director of donor and prospect research at the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. Kenny is a member of APRA and NEDRA.

Angie has worked in development since 2002, partnering with a wide range of nonprofit institutions. She began her professional career at Vanderbilt University in research and prospect development.

She has also worked with a number of community nonprofits in front-line fundraising, grant-writing, and event management. Angie holds an MPA in Nonprofit Management from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and a BS in Journalism from Middle Tennessee State University. She resides in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a member of AFP Nashville and APRA MidSouth, where she has been active on the executive team.

She joined The Helen Brown Group in October 2015.

Tara began her career in development in 2002 on the major gifts team at Simmons College, where she ultimately served as assistant director of prospect research.

Since that time, she has worked as a senior research analyst at MIT, as associate director of prospect management and research at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and most recently as director of development research at Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP). Tara originally joined the Helen Brown Group team in 2007 and served as a research associate and ShareTraining coordinator until 2008 – she rejoined the company as a senior researcher in 2013.

Tara currently serves as vice president of the New England Development Research Association (NEDRA), where she chairs the Website and Technology Committee and formerly served as editor of NEDRA News. Tara has also been involved with the Membership Committee, Chapters Committee, and Bylaws Task Force of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA).

Maureen has been a part of the non-profit world since 1991. She started out in annual giving at Harvard Law School and continued her career as director of annual/special gifts at UC Santa Cruz.

In 1999 she made the switch from front-line fundraising to serve as director of prospect research/management at Bentley University and in 2001 began her role as administrator for the North American Foundation for the University of Manchester. She became part of the HBG team in September of 2011.

Helen has been a development professional since 1987. Her previous experience includes The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Albert Einstein Institution, Boston College, the Harvard School of Public Health and Northeastern University.

Currently she works with a variety of clients to establish, benchmark and re-align research departments; identify major gift prospects; and train researchers and other fundraisers through on-site and web-based training services.Helen is a former member of the board of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) and is past president of the New England Development Research Association (NEDRA). In 2006 she received the NEDRA Ann Castle Award for service to the prospect research community.

Helen is Special Advisor on Fundraising to the North American Foundation for the University of Manchester and is a member of the board of directors of Factary Ltd. (Bristol, UK). She is a member of NEDRA, APRA, the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP), Women In Development, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and Researchers in Fundraising (UK).

Helen is a frequent speaker and has led seminars for a number of professional associations, including Action Planning, AFP, APRA, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), NEDRA, RIF, the Planned Giving Council of Central Massachusetts, the Georgia Center on Nonprofits, the International Fundraising Congress and Resource Alliance.

Helen is also co-author (with Jen Filla) of the book, Prospect Research for Fundraisers (Wiley & Sons, 2013).

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