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Fundraising & resource mobilisation

Donor mapping and prospect research for nonprofits

Signs you need donor prospect research

You keep going back to the same small pool of funders because you genuinely don't know who else to approach.

What you'll achieve

A curated, qualified list of prospects matched to your mission and funding stage.

How a Nonprofit Builder consultant helps

  • Conduct desk research and use philanthropic databases to identify foundations, corporates, and individuals aligned to your work.

Key deliverables

  • Prospect database, funder profiles, prioritised outreach shortlist, engagement notes per prospect.

From the resource library

Free tools and guides to get started

  • 8.1C104

    Fundraising for Social Change

    A 496-page how-to handbook for small and mid-sized nonprofits that want to build a broad base of individual donors, written with racial, economic and climate justice groups in mind. It covers fundraising infrastructure, hiring a development director, working with consultants and coaches, budgeting and planning, and handling financial trouble. Spotlight sections carry reflections from working fundraisers. Teachers get a free instructor's manual and online extras.

    Start hereClassicKey manual or guideBook
  • 8.1C103

    Fundraising Bright Spots

    A research report from the Resetting Development project, which grew out of the UnderDeveloped study of nonprofit fundraising. It tells the stories of social change organisations that raise steady money from individual donors. It is for nonprofit leaders, boards and fundraising staff. Readers use the cases to rethink who owns fundraising in their organisation. A 2017 companion, Fundraising Bright Spots in Action, follows programme participants as they change their approach.

    ClassicResearch and evidenceFree with sign-up