What's In a Name? From Proposals to Opportunities

Steve Stegelin

With Prospect Research Management, fundraisers can plan and track their efforts to cultivate relationships with donors and prospects and secure major gifts as proposals. However, these efforts — like fundraising in general — aren't just about asking for a gift. To help reflect all the work that goes into these efforts, and to better convey the intent of planning and tracking that work, "proposals" in the web view will soon become opportunities. No functionality will change — don't worry!  — as you'll continue to manage these efforts in lists, analyze their effectiveness with Nonprofit Intelligence, and track their individual progress and funding as you have in the past. (And they'll continue to be "proposals" in the database view.)

However, this change helps recognize that successful fundraising involves identifying and taking chances — or opportunities — to cultivate prospective donors into lifelong supporters and major givers, not just the big asks — or proposals — that result from those relationships. Further, as these efforts often require time and multiple stages of development, your organization can configure and track where each opportunity is in your solicitation process — from the research and prep work for the initial contact and nurturing of the relationship, to the official ask and subsequent follow-up and development plan — just as before.


Get ready to seize the opportunities! (Sorry, couldn't resist.)