The Arc of a Prospect Researcher: From the Beginning to Retirement
Dear Diary,
Today, I am honored to share a very special interview with you. To speak with a recent retiree from the prospect research industry is an absolute privilege. Learning from Theresa Clark has given me such a delight as she has sowed great wisdom into the words of this interview.
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Q: Theresa, can you share how and when you joined the prospect research industry?
Theresa: I started in prospect research in 2005 with Western Kentucky University. It was actually something that I stumbled into. I went for an interview for an Administrative Assistant position within the philanthropy office. The interviewers told me of another position as an assistant to the Stewardship Coordinator as well as the Prospect Researcher. I understood stewardship but had never heard of prospect research. Once they briefly explained it, I knew it was a position I wanted to pursue. With my degree in Technical Journalism from Colorado State University, I knew it would be something that I would enjoy and hopefully spend a long time doing.
Q: In January 2026, you retired from the industry after 20 years. How did you know it was time?
Theresa: It was more personal than anything. I started when I was 43 years old - my daughters were college bound, my husband was able to retire at 44 years old (cool story there by being a scholarship recipient that led to a career where he could retire early) and I wanted a position where I had retirement benefits. It turned into so much more over the 20 years. I have seen tremendous growth in the industry, ways of doing things from paper files to all things on the cloud. And as I have grown and learned and contributed, there's a time when you just know things are in good hands and it's time for the new generation to take it. I will forever be a cheerleader, forever be interested, always willing to "talk shop" even after I retire. But now my husband and I need time to enjoy life together (retiring to Florida was always the plan, so now I will be retired in Florida!), visit friends and family all over the country and enjoy our kids and grandkids.
Q: How has prospect research changed since you joined?
Theresa: This answer could be a novel. When I started, our database was on the hard drive of my desktop computer. We had to have hard discs to update the product. I looked in paper files for information and went down to the courthouse to look at documents. When we went to the "web version" of our database, we were all nervous. Now everything is in SharePoint, behind firewalls, on websites, in web-based tools that are a treasure trove of information or fit in a niche space because of the service and information they provide. Search engines are the research norm - we couldn't live without Google! Add the new layer of AI, learning to use that in the most efficient and ethical way possible is the new challenge. I remember in 2007 running across a new platform called "LinkedIn." I mentioned it to my boss at the time - I was a bit wary about using the information but saw the value in it because it was self-reported and asked him about it. Now, we can't live without it and other social media sources to inform our data. Written letters and mail used to be the norm. Now it's email, texts and the like for communication. But one thing remains the same - this industry is all about people, all about relationships, all about finding and telling each individual's unique story. I love finding the "gold nuggets" and sharing with the fundraisers so we can give the constituents the opportunity to tell their story and pay it forward.
Q: Thank you for describing the evolution of prospect research because although the process of information seeking has changed, we’re still doing the same work, in a way. The process looks different but our footprint of impact in the fundraising industry has remained. What is your reaction to advocating for our industry, our value, and our future? There have been whispers that AI could take our jobs?
Theresa: I know it's a phrase we hear often, but we need a seat at the table. We need to be involved in prospect discussions and in campaign planning, event list generation, stewardship and forecasting. I have been in meetings where I am listening to the discussion and my mind goes to things I know are in our database, reports that can work for challenges discussed, ideas on what to research, names that I have researched that could be great for the subject being broached. To me it's better for me to hear things with my own ears, because my ideas are generated from the initial discussion and not what I'm told. Even though that happens a lot, too. Just different questions and efficiencies arise from each way I get the information.
As to the discussion of AI taking our jobs - AI is a tool and should be treated as such. AI can help us be more efficient, gain overarching insights faster, and illustrate points succinctly to be used in a variety of end documents - just to name a few helpful uses. However, it always starts with people. People feed it the information and train it for outcomes needed. When I ask AI to summarize points, I love the time it saves, but I ALWAYS go back and check and edit. First, because I want it to sound like my voice or the voice used in a particular standard document. Second, because I need to check that the summarizations are correct.
It is a very helpful tool in a long line of tools that have been created and implemented over my 20-year career. While I don't see it going away, like some of the tools have, I see us training it for the tasks that are time drains or rote, while we focus on other areas that take human curiosity and insight, tenacity and creativity. Nothing artificial about that.
Q: What are three things you see as areas of growth or opportunities for our industry?
Theresa: I think the hot topics right now are Artificial Intelligence and Due Diligence. These are areas everyone needs to educate themselves in and build a plan on how and when to use them. Set up a work plan and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for both. If your institution, no matter how large or small, doesn't have processes concerning these areas, you [the researcher] take the lead because prospect research is always part of these conversations since we are the ones who will be charged with these tasks.
The other opportunity I see is looking at your organization from an overall lens. What I mean by that is that we tend to focus on major, principal and planned gifts. Annual giving, student giving, volunteers and other areas that can ultimately be a feeder in the future to these areas and deserve attention as well. Because if you can track things from when a relationship starts you are not as reactive. We all know that most people stay in the annual giving space, but we need to pay attention to their stories and what they have to offer as well - because you never know where that relationship might lead. And then we value them as people, not just dollars.
Q: What is a piece of advice you would give to a new researcher today?
Theresa: Always stay curious and pay attention to the details. Trust your gut and follow those rabbit trails. As you grow in experience and knowledge, you will learn when it's time to end the trail. Sure, you might miss stuff by stopping early because of deadlines, etc. But when you follow the trail because you "just know" it's amazing how you find out some really cool things. Also, record everything you find in the database - that's your repository to leave the trail for those who come behind you. And ask questions - the only bad question is one that's not asked.
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Thank you, Theresa, for your expertise, experiences, charm, and for sharing. Cheers to your new chapter.
Until next time,
April 15th!
