Prospect development connects discovery, qualification, portfolio management, reporting, and philanthropic outcomes. This session explores the core concepts of prospect development and the operational strategies, structures, and practices that support healthy fundraising pipelines across organizations at different stages of maturity.

Attendees will gain practical insight into key components of prospect development, including lead and pipeline development, assignment strategy, portfolio management, reporting, and portfolio review practices. Through two real-world case studies — one from an earlier-stage shop and one from a more mature, evolving program — we’ll explore how organizations move prospects into portfolios efficiently, support discovery activity, and use data and reporting to identify gaps, stagnation, and opportunities without relying on overly rigid processes or metrics.