Online Prospect Research Tips

Large nonprofits have the luxury of employing a prospect researcher, but what about fundraisers who don’t have an in-house pro? Sophisticated researchers can check several dozen Web sites while preparing an in-depth profile, but development officers can find simple facts about their donors by themselves, simply by searching several key Web sites. Below is a list of sites that development professionals can employ from their desktops to help answer some key questions in an organization’s search for information on its prospects.

* How can I verify someone’s address and telephone number?

Web site: www.zabasearch.com

By entering the first and last name of a donor at Zabasearch, fundraisers can find an address and phone number. If the name is a common one, you can limit the search by state. This site has additional features, too. Some of the entries give the month and year of birth. If you click on “County,” you might even link to the local assessor’s Web site, so you can find the value of property owned by the prospect.

* How can I get a foundation tax return online?

Web site: http://lnp.fdncenter.org/finder.html

The Foundation Center’s Web site enables you to search for foundations by grant-maker name. Enter the full or partial name of the foundation, click “Find,” and view basic information about it. Another click on “Most Recent IRS Filing” will take you to the 990-PF, which has a list of grants. A new feature at Foundation Finder is the ability to search for foundations by city, state or ZIP code. Check to see if there are local foundations that you aren’t aware of.

* How can I look up the current price of a stock?

Web site: http://finance.yahoo.com

Yahoo! Finance is one of many Web sites that give stock quotes in real time. Enter the stock symbol in the “Get Quotes” box (or do a Symbol Lookup) and click “Go.” You can learn much more about the stock you’re searching, too, such as its dividend and its 52-week range. (Ask donors to make stock gifts when the price is near its high). On the left are many links for the company, including headlines, a profile and even insider transactions. It also is interesting to look at the chart of the company’s stock performance. Go for the max and you can see how your prospect’s stock has performed over the years.

* How can I find biographical information about someone?

Web site: www.zoominfo.com

At ZoomInfo, enter a person’s name and click “Search.” You’ll find identifying facts about him or her, and maybe even a photo. You can click on the person’s name to find numerous Web sites that mention the person, or click on the company name and connect to Web sites about it.

* How can I find someone’s income at a public company?

Web site: http://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html

The salaries of the top five officers of public companies are in proxy statements. Enter the name of the prospect’s company on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Web site. You need to be sure you enter the name of the ultimate parent company, e.g., for Citibank you must enter Citigroup Inc. Click “Find Companies,” and then select the company name again. Scroll down until you get to form DEF 14A (the definitive proxy). Click “html” and DEF 14A again. Use the Find feature on your browser to jump to each mention of the prospect within the document, looking for salary, stock holdings, options, etc.

* How can I find out a person’s salary at a private company?

Web site: www.salary.com/salary/layoutscripts/sall_display.asp

Private companies rarely publish such information, but at Salary.com you can find average incomes by job title, narrowed down by geographic location. Select the job category that fits the donor, along with the city and state, and click “Search.” You’ll find many job descriptions, so look for one that closely matches your prospect’s position. Then you can see base pay and bonus information for free.

Elaine Lotto is principal at Pittsford, N.Y.-based nonprofit prospect-research firm Development Research Systems. She can be reached via www.elainelotto.com