Meredith Hancks and Cara Rosson divide the manual into four Parts, each dealing with a specific aspect of project research. They make innovative use of the old-fashioned gift pyramid to provide a surprisingly helpful visual aid for examining the levels of research required for different types of prospects.
In chapters 1 through 10, you will learn about the foundations for the profession. This information lays the groundwork for each of the next sections of chapters.
Chapters 11 through 16 discuss basic research skills for foundational prospects—generally considered annual fund prospects. When presented with a very preliminary request for research, you will probably need the information in this section.
Chapters 17 through 22, Middle of the Road, build upon the first two sections of chapters but can also stand alone. In these chapters, you will learn about research for real estate, gift capacity, and networks. This chapter is the starting point for identifying potential major gift prospects.
Finally, chapters 23 through 27 address the types of research you will conduct when completing a full profile or preparing for a solicitation for a major gift ask.
Throughout, the authors offer helpful and interesting sidebars, and take the time to give you specifics.
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