Fueling Frontline Fundraising: How to Align Prospect Research and Marketing to Deliver Warm, Qualified Leads

Many nonprofits face the challenge of limited frontline fundraising staff for discovery and cultivation outreach, leaving a large number of historical supporters untapped. Often, organizations have little insight into these supporters' stories and their readiness for major or planned gifts.

While Prospect Research teams traditionally rely on quantitative data—such as giving history, wealth scores, and event participation—success in major and planned giving also requires qualitative insights. Understanding a supporter’s passions, interests, timing, and readiness can only be gathered through direct, two-way engagement. Marketing and technology can bridge this gap, enabling nonprofits to expand discovery, qualification, and cultivation efforts while maintaining personalized donor interactions at scale. By combining data analytics with automated communication systems, organizations can deliver a personal touch even with limited resources.

In this session, Jeff Giannotto of MarketSmart, a leader in Major and Planned Giving qualification and cultivation, will be joined by Sarah Rudich, Senior Director of the Foundation at Montgomery County Community College. Together, we'll explore the marketing and technology solutions MCCC has successfully implemented in partnership with MarketSmart. The strategies and tactics discussed will demonstrate how Prospect Research, Frontline Fundraising, and Marketing teams can collaborate to replicate these efforts in-house, leveraging both quantitative and qualitative data to drive better engagement and fundraising outcomes.