Heads Above the Rest: Identifying Top Prospects From a Large Pool Using Rankings

This session will review and identify markers using ranking criteria for prospects already in a pool or identified for immediate assignment to a fundraiser portfolio. We will share a simple ranking system that can be deployed using information collected in your database without having to pay for a subscription or use a wealth screening product. A case study of a prospect pool ranking project will highlight the creation process, execution, and results of using an internal ranking system.

Amelia Grant

Amelia Grant is the National Director of Prospect Development and Strategy at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. She directs donor research and prospect management and supports the development team with portfolio management and donor strategy. She has over a decade of experience working in nonprofit fundraising and operations, including in public education, international education and, currently, in healthcare and addiction treatment. She has an MBA from Loyola University New Orleans and a BA in French and Spanish from Marquette University.  She lives in Minneapolis with her charming husband, two lovely daughters and an aggressively moody cat.

Andrea Dowd

Andrea Dowd is the Prospect Research and Management Associate at the Walker Art Center. She provides research, prospect management, and support for Gift Officers, Curators and Program Directors, the Executive Director, and the Board of Trustees. Prior to her current role at the Walker, she spent 14+ years in Prospect Research and Management roles with Saint Mary’s University, Augsburg University, St. Catherine University, and Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Andrea is the Immediate Past President of Apra-MN and is currently a mentor through Apra-MN. She is a member of Apra International.  She graduated from the College of St. Benedict.

Principal Giving: Strategic Partnerships

This session explores how the Prospect Management team collaborates with Development Officers to advance Principal Giving at the University of Minnesota Foundation. It begins with an overview of the Principal Giving Program and the role of the Principal Gift Prospect Development group, including the resources and research partnerships that support donor identification and strategy. The session outlines how prospects are surfaced and evaluated through pipeline briefings, full PGW profiles, and strategy meetings, along with a typical timeline for engagement.

We will also examine key considerations when working with Principal Giving donors, such as institutional context (land-grant vs. private), performance metrics, and expectations across different fundraising environments. The presentation concludes with a discussion on managing expectations—whether related to prospecting, campaign alignment, or coordination with leadership and external partners—emphasizing the importance of strategic communication and shared understanding throughout the Principal Giving process.

 Beth Chekola

Beth Chekola is the Lead Senior Project Manager at the University of Minnesota Foundation. She directs the Presidential/Executive Leadership briefing process and serves as a dedicated research partner for the Principal Giving team and the Board of Trustees. Beth has been with the University of Minnesota for 17 years. Prior to her current role at the Foundation, she served as Assistant to the Dean in the College of Design, and before that worked within the University Libraries. She holds a BA in gender, women & sexuality studies from the University of Minnesota. She has been active in the local arts and music community, and is especially interested in textiles and meeting your dog.

Capacity Ratings: Reflecting on What We Do & Do Not Know About Different Financial Ecosystems

As professionals tasked with evaluating high financial capacities, we often rely on internally developed frameworks shaped by our own economic experiences, cultural norms, and assumptions about stability and wealth. Yet, how many of us had grandpapa sit us down at the country club to explain how the family trust works?

In the context of the ongoing generational transfer of wealth, the largest in modern history, it is increasingly important to recognize the limitations of our perspectives. This session invites participants to critically examine how personal and societal influences shape our understanding of others’ financial realities. Drawing on the concept that human perception is inherently shaped by lived experience, we will explore how unconscious bias may influence high-capacity ratings and recommendations.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify how personal economic experiences and social contexts influence perceptions of financial capacity. 
• Recognize the limitations and potential biases inherent in evaluating others’ financial situations. 
• Apply reflective practices to foster a collaborative, community-based approach to developing capacity ratings.

This presentation is especially well-suited for small shops, professionals who are newer in their careers, or those who haven’t revisited their capacity ratings in over a decade.

ADVISORY: In this session, we’ll explore childhood and generational dynamics. These themes may stir reflections on personal history, and we recognize that this can bring unexpected or emotional responses.

Maria Jose Herrera

Maria Jose Herrera is the Director of Prospect and Portfolio Management at the

College of Saint Benedict. Her professional and academic research has focused on

understanding wealth and its social effects. She has worked in the Minnesota

development sector since 2018 and has specialized in prospect research since 2020.

While training in philanthropic research, Maria Jose wrote her thesis titled “Building a

Donor Pipeline by Engaging Gen-Z” as part of her M.A. in Organizational Leadership

and Policy Development from the University of Minnesota. She also holds a degree in

Human Sciences (Applied Sociology) from the University of Dallas. Outside of work, Maria Jose is usually off on an adventure with her husband and daughter. During her quieter, introverted moments, you’ll find her puzzling or exercising, usually with a medieval fantasy audiobook playing in the background.

Making the Most of Your Small Shop

Many prospect development professionals are a team of one within greater Advancement offices, meaning all research and prospect management duties fall to them. So how do we do it? By setting S.M.A.R.T goals that support your organization's mission and strategic plan, prioritizing data-driven strategies, and establishing routines that allow you to do both proactive and reactive work, this presentation will equip new or transitioning prospect development professionals with tips to succeed on their own.

Alison Hope

Alison Hope is the Prospect Development Strategist for the Animal Humane Society and previously worked as Director of Prospect Development at Concordia University, St. Paul and Prospect Research Specialist at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA. She has over 8 years of experience in prospect development, focusing primarily on pipeline development, portfolio management, and major gift strategy in "small" fundraising offices. Alison is Treasurer of the Apra-MN Board and has served on the board since 2022, previously as Co-Chair of the Marketing and Communications Committee. When not researching, she is at home with her two cats watching something scary or playing video games with friends.