Donor Prospect Research Brief
Research summary on potential major donor
The Prompt
The Prompt
Create a one-page Donor Prospect Research Brief for [ORGANIZATION NAME] to inform major gift cultivation of [PROSPECT NAME] using publicly available information only.
The brief should:
- Use this order and headings: 1) Header, 2) Snapshot, 3) Professional & Wealth Indicators, 4) Philanthropy & 990 Data, 5) Connections to [ORGANIZATION NAME], 6) Interests/Passions, 7) Cultivation Plan, 8) Risks/Considerations, 9) Sources, 10) Update Log.
- Header: Prospect name (incl. preferred name/pronouns), city/state, employer/title, connection level to org, Prepared by [NAME/ROLE], Date [DATE], For Internal Use Only.
- Snapshot (4 lines max): Estimated giving capacity range with confidence (Low/Med/High) + basis; top 2-3 affinity indicators; readiness/timing signals; recommended initial ask range tied to [PROGRAM/CASE].
- Professional & Wealth Indicators: current/past roles, business ownership, notable liquidity proxies (public company equity, real estate assessed values, exits) with brief basis. Avoid speculation.
- Philanthropy & 990 Data: top 3-5 gifts/orgs (size/recency when findable), board service, family foundation notes, cite 990/990-PF (org/year/URL).
- Connections to [ORGANIZATION NAME]: alumni/volunteer links, shared networks; list 2-3 warm intro pathways (Name—relationship—how to approach).
- Interests/Passions: causes, issue areas, quotes/memberships that signal affinity.
- Cultivation Plan: 3-5 specific next steps, likely channel, timing window, entry points (events, site visit, program leader).
- Risks/Considerations: reputational issues, conflicts, privacy flags (no sensitive categories). Note “Unknown” where data is absent.
- Sources: 5-8 citations with URLs and access dates (LinkedIn, news, company site, Guidestar/Candid, IRS 990-PF, SEC, real estate records).
- Update Log: blank lines for date/action/outcome.
- Length: 300–450 words; concise bullets; no walls of text.
- Tone: [TONE]=FORMAL (board/exec-ready), WARM (internal collaboration, default), CASUAL (working notes).
Quality: Be concrete and verifiable; quantify where possible; tie capacity to visible indicators; do not guess net worth or use stereotypes; avoid jargon/clichés; flag “Unverified” if not sourced. If [KNOWN DETAILS OR LINKS] are provided, prioritize them.How to Customize
- Replace all [BRACKETED] fields with your specific information
- Adjust tone and length as needed for your audience
- Review and personalize before using
Pro Tips
- Test this prompt with your preferred AI tool before using in production
- Always review AI output for accuracy and appropriateness
- Customize outputs to match your organization’s voice and brand
Related Prompts
(See other prompts in the fundraising category)
Example Outputs
Compare scenarios: We tested this prompt with 3 different nonprofit contexts. Each scenario shows outputs from GPT-5, Claude, and Gemini. Select a model above each scenario to compare.
Small Community Org
Rural community resource center serving low-income families with youth food security and basic needs in a small Oregon river town; cultivating a local small-business owner sponsor.
View scenario details
1) Header - Prospect: Miguel Santos (Preferred name: Miguel; Pronouns: Unknown) | Blue River, OR | Owner, Santos Market & Deli | Connection level: Warm (recent sponsor) - Prepared by: Priya Desai, Development Associate | Date: 2025-11-02 | For Internal Use Only
2) Snapshot - Estimated annual giving capacity: $10,000–$25,000 | Confidence: Low–Medium | Basis: Small business owner with recent $2,500 sponsorship; no visible large liquidity indicators - Affinity indicators: 2024 Back-to-School Drive sponsor to BRCRC; food retail aligns with Youth Food Security; long-time Blue River resident - Readiness signals: Recent sponsor; positive local press (May 2024 owner profile); active LinkedIn presence - Recommended initial ask: $5,000–$10,000 for Youth Food Security Program (Backpack Pantry & Summer Meals)
3) Professional & Wealth Indicators - Current: Owner/Operator, Santos Market & Deli; entity: Santos Market LLC (Oregon filing) – indicates active local small business - Past roles: Retail/grocery leadership per LinkedIn (Unverified—see profile) - Liquidity proxies: Business ownership confirmed; no public evidence of major equity holdings, exits, or real estate ownership tied to the business premises (Unknown) - Notes: Visibility via business website and local press suggests stable community footprint
4) Philanthropy & 990 Data - Blue River Community Resource Center: Sponsored 2024 Back-to-School Drive ($2,500) + in-kind snacks (2024) - Other gifts/boards: Not identified in provided sources (Unknown) - Family foundation: None identified (Unverified; no 990-PF located) - 990 references: Use BRCRC 990 on Candid/Guidestar for context; no Santos family foundation 990 found (Unverified)
5) Connections to Blue River Community Resource Center - Prior engagement: 2024 BRCRC Back-to-School Drive sponsor; interacted with BRCRC staff during sponsorship - Warm intro pathways: - Priya Desai—BRCRC Development—sponsor stewardship; request in-store thank-you and tour invite - Blue River Times business reporter (author of 5/2024 profile)—journalist who interviewed Miguel; ask for introduction (Unverified—confirm byline) - LinkedIn mutuals—identify shared connections for warm handoff (Unverified—check profile)
6) Interests/Passions - Community youth and education support (evidenced by Back-to-School sponsorship) - Food access/anti-hunger (mission alignment with grocery business) - Local small business and neighborhood vitality (owner profile emphasis; see article)
7) Cultivation Plan - Week 1–2: Call and hand-deliver thank-you certificate at Santos Market; request 20-minute store meet-and-greet - Week 3–4: Invite to Youth Food Security site visit (pantry + Summer Meals prep); include Program Lead for mission tie-in - Week 4–6: Present $5k–$10k proposal: Summer Meals sponsorship with recognition at market (co-branded “Snack Packs”) - Q1: Explore employee volunteer day and point-of-sale roundup campaign; agree on calendar and recognition
8) Risks/Considerations - Owner-operator time constraints; prefer brief, in-person touchpoints - Small business margin sensitivity; offer flexible pledge schedule - Data gaps: real estate, broader philanthropy, boards (Unknown) - No reputational issues surfaced in provided sources (Unverified)
9) Sources - Blue River CRC—Youth Food Security Program: https://bluerivercrc.org/programs/youth-food-security (Accessed 2025-11-02) - LinkedIn—Miguel Santos (Blue River): https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-santos-blue-river (Accessed 2025-11-02) - Santos Market & Deli (company site): https://santosmarketor.com/ (Accessed 2025-11-02) - Blue River Times—Owner profile (May 2024): https://bluerivertimes.com/business/2024/05/owner-profile-miguel-santos (Accessed 2025-11-02) - Oregon Business Registry—Santos Market LLC filing 235019: https://oregonbusinessregistry.com/filing/235019-santos-market-llc (Accessed 2025-11-02) - Candid/Guidestar—BRCRC profile and 990s (context): https://www.guidestar.org/ (Accessed 2025-11-02)
10) Update Log - Date: __________ | Action: __________________________ | Outcome: __________________________ - Date: __________ | Action: __________________________ | Outcome: __________________________ - Date: __________ | Action: __________________________ | Outcome: __________________________
AI Evaluation Details (Score: 8.8/10)
This is a highly functional donor prospect brief that demonstrates strong adherence to the template while maintaining practical utility. It appropriately balances professionalism with the requested warm tone, provides actionable cultivation steps grounded in the prospect's demonstrated interests, and responsibly flags data gaps rather than speculating. The output would be immediately usable by a development professional.
- • Excellent use of 'Unknown' and 'Unverified' flags—demonstrates research integrity and avoids speculation about wealth or capacity beyond visible indicators
- • Cultivation plan is specific, sequenced, and contextually appropriate for a small-town relationship (in-person, brief touchpoints, co-branding opportunities)
- • Strong mission alignment throughout—connects grocery business to food security program naturally and suggests creative engagement (point-of-sale roundup, employee volunteers)
- • Snapshot section is concise and decision-ready with clear capacity rationale tied to observable behavior ($2,500 prior gift)
- • Warm intro pathways are concrete and actionable, including the creative journalist connection
- • Risks section appropriately addresses small business realities (time constraints, margin sensitivity) without being patronizing
- • Proper citation format with access dates; acknowledges when sources would need verification
- • Pronouns listed as 'Unknown' in header—could simply omit this field if not available rather than highlighting the gap in a potentially awkward way
- • Word count appears slightly under the 300-450 target (estimated ~280-320 words), though structure compensates for brevity
- • The 'Low–Medium' confidence rating could be explained more clearly—the basis provided actually suggests medium confidence given concrete prior giving behavior
Mid-Size Professional Org
Urban arts education nonprofit in Chicago offering media training and fellowships; cultivating an alum now in a senior corporate role with potential for matching gifts and sponsorship.
View scenario details
1) Header - Prospect: Danielle K. Patel (preferred name: Danielle; pronouns: not publicly listed) | Chicago, IL (per LinkedIn) - Employer/Title: Senior Director, Content Partnerships, Mosaic Streaming - Connection level to CAML: Warm (2012 CAML Media Futures Fellowship alum; 2023 Portfolio Day panelist) - Prepared by: Marcus Liu, Director of Development | Date: 2025-11-02 | For Internal Use Only
2) Snapshot - Estimated giving capacity: $10k–$25k personal over 12–24 months; Medium confidence. Basis: senior leadership role in Chicago tech/media; no visible liquidity events; strong 2:1 employer match up to $10k. - Top affinity indicators: CAML alum (2012); recent CAML panelist; career in content partnerships/media. - Readiness signals: 2024 promotion; ongoing engagement with CAML; generous employer match; Q4–Q1 giving window. - Recommended initial ask: $7,500–$10,000 to Media Futures Fellowship Scholarships + $2,500–$5,000 to Equipment Fund. Leverage Mosaic’s 2:1 match (potential total impact up to $30k on a $10k gift).
3) Professional & Wealth Indicators - Current: Sr. Director, Content Partnerships, Mosaic Streaming (promoted Oct 2024). - Past: Progression in content/media partnerships (see LinkedIn for prior roles; titles visible). - Business ownership: None identified. - Liquidity proxies: Mosaic Streaming appears privately held (no SEC filings cited); no verified real estate holdings or exits found. Employer offers 2:1 giving match (up to $10k employee gift).
4) Philanthropy & 990 Data - Individual gifts: No public gift listings located. Unknown. - Board service: None publicly identified. - Family foundation/DAF: None identified; no 990-PF linked to name found. Unverified. - 990s cited: N/A (no personal foundation found).
5) Connections to Chicago Arts & Media Lab - CAML 2012 Media Futures Fellowship alum; 2023 Portfolio Day panelist (CAML site and event listings). - Warm intro pathways: - CAML Program Director—worked with Danielle on 2023 Portfolio Day—approach with gratitude + impact update and tour invite. - Mosaic Streaming People/Benefits lead—administers giving match—approach to confirm match workflow for CAML. - CAML Alumni Council representative—peer-to-peer outreach to fellow alum for scholarship support.
6) Interests/Passions - Emerging creators; storytelling; media/tech; mentorship and talent pipelines (signals from career track and CAML engagement).
7) Cultivation Plan - Week 1–2: Send congrats on 2024 promotion + thank-you for 2023 panel; include 2-sentence impact story and match info. Channel: email/LinkedIn. - Week 3–5: Invite to studio visit with current Fellows; introduce Program Director and a 2012 alum. Channel: email. - Week 6–8: Present focused proposal: $10k to Scholarships + $5k to Equipment Fund; include instructions to trigger 2:1 Mosaic match. Channel: meeting. - Quarter 2: Explore Mosaic corporate partnership (panel hosting, internship pathway) parallel to personal gift.
8) Risks/Considerations - Pronouns/city not explicitly confirmed; use neutral language until verified. - No public record of prior gifts—avoid over-assuming capacity. - Confirm CAML eligibility under Mosaic match guidelines and any exclusion categories. - Avoid perceived conflict if corporate sponsorship is pursued alongside personal ask.
9) Sources - LinkedIn: Danielle K. Patel profile — https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellekpatel (accessed 2025-11-02) - Mosaic Streaming leadership — https://mosaicstreaming.com/about/leadership (accessed 2025-11-02) - Mosaic Streaming benefits (giving match 2:1 up to $10k) — https://mosaicstreaming.com/careers/benefits#giving-match (accessed 2025-11-02) - Chicago Inno: Mosaic promotes Danielle Patel to Sr. Director (2024-10-12) — https://chicagoinno.com/2024/10/12/mosaic-streaming-promotes-danielle-patel-to-sr-director (accessed 2025-11-02) - CAML Fellowship overview — https://camlchicago.org/fellowship (accessed 2025-11-02)
10) Update Log - Date — Action — Outcome - - -
AI Evaluation Details (Score: 8.8/10)
This is a highly functional prospect research brief that demonstrates strong understanding of fundraising best practices. It appropriately balances ambition with evidence-based capacity assessment, provides actionable cultivation steps, and flags unknowns transparently. The casual tone is appropriate for internal collaboration while maintaining professionalism.
- • Excellent strategic use of employer match as leverage—correctly calculates 2:1 match impact ($10k gift → $30k total) and integrates it throughout snapshot, cultivation plan, and ask structure
- • Highly actionable cultivation plan with specific timing, channels, and entry points (studio visit, alumni peer outreach, corporate partnership exploration)
- • Transparent about data gaps—consistently flags 'Unknown,' 'Unverified,' and 'None identified' rather than speculating on wealth or giving history
- • Smart capacity reasoning—bases $10k-$25k range on senior role and match ceiling rather than guessing net worth; acknowledges privately-held company limits visibility
- • Strong warm intro pathways with specific relationship context and approach rationale (Program Director gratitude angle, alumni peer-to-peer)
- • Thoughtful risk section—flags pronoun/location verification needs, match eligibility confirmation, and potential corporate/personal ask conflict
- • Proper citation format with access dates and all provided URLs integrated
- • Stays within 300-450 word target while covering all 10 required sections
- • Slightly formulaic phrasing in some sections ('signals from career track,' 'emerging creators; storytelling') feels template-driven rather than fully personalized
- • Could strengthen affinity narrative by connecting Danielle's content partnerships role more explicitly to CAML's media education mission (e.g., 'pipeline she now hires from')
- • Cultivation timeline is somewhat generic ('Week 1-2,' 'Week 3-5')—could tie to actual calendar events or Mosaic's fiscal year-end for match urgency
Large Established Org
Regional academic medical center foundation in a major metro, launching a capital campaign for cardiac care; cultivating a tech founder with liquidity event and prior healthcare interest.
View scenario details
1) Header - Prospect: Raj Mehta (preferred: Raj; pronouns: he/him—Unverified) - City/State: Edina, MN - Employer/Title: Founder & former CEO, CloudSpire Analytics; company acquired by NeoSphere (2021). Current NeoSphere role not confirmed. - Connection level to Lakeview MCF: Unknown - Prepared by: Elena Kovacs, Senior Prospect Researcher - Date: 2025-11-02 - For Internal Use Only
2) Snapshot - Estimated giving capacity: $250,000–$1,000,000 (Medium confidence). Basis: tech company founder with 2021 exit (terms undisclosed) + Edina residential real estate holding; no public equity filings observed. - Affinity indicators: Tech/innovation leadership; reported giving to STEM education and hospital pediatrics (Unverified). - Readiness/timing: Post-liquidity event (2021) suggests capacity; no public competing campaigns identified. - Recommended initial ask (Cardiac Expansion—Hybrid OR + Cath Labs): $100,000–$250,000 initial conversation; outline multi-year option.
3) Professional & Wealth Indicators - Founder & former CEO, CloudSpire Analytics (data/analytics). Source confirms acquisition by NeoSphere in 2021; consideration undisclosed. - Possible post-acquisition role at NeoSphere noted in press coverage (title not specified in available sources). - Real estate: Edina, MN parcel 28-117-22-21-0123; county record shows ownership/assessed value (see source). Serves as tangible asset proxy. - Liquidity proxies: Company sale (2021); no SEC insider holdings or public equity positions located. No additional exits identified in sources.
4) Philanthropy & 990 Data - Reported past giving to STEM education and hospital pediatrics; specific organizations/amounts not confirmed in available sources (Unverified). - Family foundation: None identified; no 990-PF located under “Raj Mehta” tied to Edina, MN (Unverified). - Board/volunteer service: Not found in cited sources. - 990 references: None located to date.
5) Connections to Lakeview Medical Center Foundation - Alumni/volunteer links: Unknown. - Shared networks: Twin Cities tech/entrepreneur ecosystem; NeoSphere corporate presence (if regional). - Warm intro pathways (potential): - NeoSphere regional/site leader—Corporate partnership angle (Name unknown; map via LinkedIn). - CloudSpire former investors/advisors—Introduction to founder (Names unknown; check internal networks). - Twin Cities Business (TCB) deal coverage—Identify deal principals quoted for warm intro.
6) Interests/Passions - STEM education and pediatric health (giving themes noted; Unverified). - Data science/analytics innovation (professional focus). - Minnesota/Twin Cities business community.
7) Cultivation Plan - Within 2–4 weeks: Qualification outreach via LinkedIn/InMail referencing CloudSpire–NeoSphere milestone; invite to a brief intro call. - Schedule Q4–Q1 site visit: Tour Cardiac Hybrid OR/Cath Lab planning session with clinical lead; align with campaign vision. - Extend invite to next Lakeview Innovation in Care breakfast; seat with CIO/Chief of Cardiology. - Prepare a concept note: Data/AI in cardiac care outcomes; explore philanthropic partnership/naming aligned to Hybrid OR/Cath Lab. - If engaged, propose $100k–$250k over 3 years; discuss larger step-up following deeper alignment.
8) Risks/Considerations - Acquisition terms undisclosed; true liquidity unknown. - Philanthropic history specifics unconfirmed; avoid over-assuming affinity. - Name commonality risk in searches; confirm identity details before solicitation. - Privacy: Use public sources only; do not reference property details in outreach.
9) Sources - LinkedIn: Raj Mehta profile (roles/location). https://www.linkedin.com/in/raj-mehta-tech (accessed 2025-11-02) - Twin Cities Business: “CloudSpire Analytics Acquired by NeoSphere (2021).” https://tcbmag.com/cloudspire-analytics-acquired-by-neosphere-2021 (accessed 2025-11-02) - CloudSpire Press: “NeoSphere Transaction Announcement.” https://cloudspireanalytics.com/press/neosphere-transaction (accessed 2025-11-02) - Henson Cadastre (MN) Property Record, Edina parcel 28-117-22-21-0123. https://hensoncadastre.mn.gov/property/edina/parcel/28-117-22-21-0123 (accessed 2025-11-02) - Lakeview Medical Center Foundation—Advanced Cardiac Care Expansion (Hybrid OR + Cath Labs). https://lakeviewmcf.org/cardiac-expansion (accessed 2025-11-02)
10) Update Log - [YYYY-MM-DD] — - [YYYY-MM-DD] — - [YYYY-MM-DD] —
AI Evaluation Details (Score: 8.8/10)
This is a highly professional, board-ready prospect research brief that demonstrates excellent adherence to the template and nonprofit best practices. It appropriately flags unverified information, avoids speculation about net worth, and provides actionable cultivation steps tied to the specific campaign. The formal tone is consistent throughout, and the structure makes it immediately usable for executive leadership.
- • Excellent use of '(Unverified)' flags throughout—demonstrates research integrity and avoids overstating findings, which is critical for credible prospect research
- • Capacity estimate is appropriately conservative with clear basis stated; avoids the common pitfall of inflating projections based on a single liquidity event
- • Cultivation plan is specific and actionable with concrete timelines, entry points, and ask ranges tied directly to the cardiac campaign case
- • Professional handling of data gaps—acknowledges unknowns in connections, board service, and 990 data rather than fabricating information
- • Sources are properly formatted with URLs and access dates; real estate parcel citation shows appropriate use of public records without privacy violations
- • Warm intro pathways acknowledge that specific names are unknown but provide strategic direction for internal mapping
- • Risk section appropriately flags name commonality, undisclosed acquisition terms, and privacy considerations—shows sophisticated understanding of research ethics
- • Formal tone is maintained consistently without becoming stilted; appropriate for board/executive review
- • Word count appears within 300-450 range; uses concise bullets effectively
- • Header includes '(pronouns: he/him—Unverified)' which, while transparent, may be unnecessary speculation; standard practice is to omit pronouns unless publicly stated by the prospect
- • Snapshot could quantify the real estate assessed value briefly (e.g., '$XXXk assessed') to strengthen the capacity basis, since the source is cited
- • Section 5 (Connections) could note whether any internal database check was performed for past engagement/event attendance, even if result was negative
- • Minor: 'NeoSphere corporate presence (if regional)' in warm intro pathways is slightly vague—could suggest a specific next research step to confirm regional office
Test Summary: Generated Nov 2, 2025 • 3 scenarios • 9 total outputs • Average quality score: 8.69/10 • Total validation cost: $0.2775