Why Pan For Gold When You Could Have a Metal Detector?

The gold---much-needed money to fund vital programs and services to the community---is, as often told, right under our noses. It’s in your station database.   

More important, it’s in the passion, activism, kindness and caring of station donors.  The more we know about donors and the other organizations they support, the better fundraisers can be at helping them achieve their philanthropic dreams—impacting the size of their gifts. 

While it still takes years to close an eight-figure gift to a hospital or museum, it doesn’t take that long to understand the scope of a donor’s passions and capacity. Performing wealth & philanthropy screening, however, takes seconds. 

Jennifer Johnson is Leadership Giving Officer at Rocky Mountain Public Media. She works with DonorSearch, which is offered to CDP partner stations at a deep discount. She commends DonorSearch as the best wealth screening tool she has used to date, adding, “I especially appreciate the ratings system it uses in that a potential donor is only given the highest rating when the person not only has large assets AND they have donated at least $5,000 to a non-profit.” 

While stations may know most of the passionate folks who inhabit the top of their pyramid, the beauty of using a wealth & philanthropy screening tool is that fundraisers can mine for gold amongst those $100+ donors as well.  A consistent donor at $250 annually may also give $10,000 to the symphony; so it’s important to understand affinities & capacity---not only in interests, but in giving as well. 

Jennifer says: “I also appreciate that DonorSearch tracks giving in all the major areas of philanthropy so it’s another way to find a potential donor who would be interested in your cause. DonorSearch also links you where the information about that donor is found such as annual reports. You simply click on a gift and you can see that annual report, which in addition to showing you gifts, you might even find an article or other information about your donor.  And best of all, we have received the best service from the team at DonorSearch!” 

To hear more from DonorSearch and Jennifer, join us for the upcoming webinar on Tuesday, March 16th at 3pm. Register Here. This 30 minute session will also include Q&A for you to engage with speakers directly!