Prospect Research in the Age of AI

Prospect Research in the Age of AI

A Practical Guide for Nonprofit Researchers and Fundraisers 224 pages - checklists, prompts, and templates

Artificial intelligence is changing prospect research—but reliable research still depends on human judgement, ethical practice, and careful verification.

Prospect Research in the Age of AI is a practical guide to using AI throughout the fundraising-research process. Written for the Canadian nonprofit sector, it explains how researchers and fundraisers can use emerging tools to work more efficiently without sacrificing accuracy, privacy, transparency, or respect for donors.

The book covers the complete research cycle: defining the question, finding and verifying information, assessing individuals, foundations and corporations, mapping relationships, estimating capacity and affinity, managing portfolios, and communicating findings to decision-makers. It also explains how AI can assist with data cleaning, prospect identification, predictive analytics, reporting, workflow design, and strategic planning.

Rather than treating AI output as established fact, the book shows readers how to keep qualified people responsible for interpretation and fundraising decisions. Its central principle is simple: AI can accelerate research, but it cannot replace evidence, context, professional judgement, or relationship-based fundraising.

What you will learn

• How to use AI to collect, organize and summarize prospect information
• How to research individuals, foundations, corporations and sponsorship prospects
• How to verify AI-generated findings and prevent invented or overstated conclusions
• How to assess capacity, affinity, relationships and philanthropic indicators
• How to identify overlooked prospects in fundraising databases
• How to improve pipeline and portfolio management
• How to create useful profiles, briefings, dashboards and research reports
• How to design repeatable AI-assisted research workflows
• How to evaluate screening services and commercial research platforms
• How to protect confidential and personal information
• How to introduce AI responsibly in organizations of different sizes

The book includes practical templates, prompt examples, checklists, sample workflows, an AI-readiness assessment, a vendor-evaluation scorecard, and ten applied case studies.

Who this book is for

This guide is intended for:

• Prospect researchers and research analysts
• Fundraisers and development officers
• Development directors and advancement leaders
• Executive directors and nonprofit managers
• Grant and foundation researchers
• Corporate partnership and sponsorship professionals
• Consultants, board members and fundraising volunteers
• Small organizations without a dedicated research department

Whether you work in a large institutional advancement office or a one-person fundraising operation, the book provides a realistic framework for deciding what AI should do, what people must continue to do, and how the two can work together.

AI may make information less scarce. In an information-rich environment, however, sound judgement becomes more valuable than ever.