How Donor Researchers Can Rebuff Odd Requests: Tips From Experts

Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone.

Talk to the person making the odd request for information: What does that individual really want to know? There may be other ways to get at that final goal, and it may not require the researcher’s digging.

Set priorities.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of putting the request in a broader context: “If I take on that request, projects X, Y, and Z will be delayed.”

Maintain a sense of humor.

Don’t take it personally. Offbeat requests can be seen as a compliment to a researcher’s detective skills.

Keep the charity’s mission in mind.

Ask this question yourself or pose it to colleagues: “How does this information help to strengthen our relationship with the prospective donor?”

Seize opportunities to teach colleagues.

Use the odd request as an opportunity to educate colleagues about what prospect researchers do and the limits of what information is available to them.

Cite internal research rules.

A brief conversation about your organization’s prospect-research policies can either eliminate the need for a request or re-frame it in a way that makes it clear why the information is needed.

Create guidelines.

If your organization doesn’t have a policy, make one. Be specific about how to request research and what kinds of information are fair game.

Rely on professional standards.

When in doubt, consult the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement’s code of ethics or the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Donor Bill of Rights.

Set limits.

If colleagues ask you to use your detective skills for a personal matter and you decide to do it, do so on your own time and without your organization’s resources. Don’t log in from home to access specialized databases such as Lexis-Nexis. And feel free to say no.