When it comes to lists, the tried and true isn’t always the way to go.

By Alicia Orr Suman

Even if every list test doesn’t work out (and it won’t), Fischette stresses that, “In acquisitions, you have to continue to test a variety of lists, including those of other nonprofits, catalog lists and publications lists.”

Find more power in prospecting lists
When it comes to prospecting, the goal is to find mail-responsive names that have both the money and inclination to give to your cause. Gould recommends testing lists of nonprofits whose mission is similar to your own and donors who have given to institutional packages.