The Basic Tools

Abstract

Gift officers all too often take data for granted. In well-established development shops, there is sophisticated databasing software that allows you to look up a donors name, address, employer, spouses information, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, the boards upon which the donor sits, press releases on their company, their stock options, their previous philanthropy to your organization and others, as well as a detailed history of the direct contact that your organization has had with this donor through significant phone calls, e-mails, personal visits, etc. 1 This isnt to say, of course, that you cant accomplish what you need to over a 20–30 minute coffee. Not all meetings need to last 4 hours. In fact, my colleagues who have Metro NY as a territory rarely have prospects who will take that amount of time to meet.