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12 Ways to Maximize the Benefits of Wealth Screening
Solicit donations from top major and planned giving prospects with wealth screening.

12 Ways to Maximize the Benefits of Wealth Screening

What is Wealth Screening?

Wealth screening analyzes your pool of prospects and donors to determine their respective capacities to give.

It is particularly useful in highlighting major gift and planned giving prospects.

In other words, wealth screening illuminates high-net-worth individuals to help your team successfully solicit donations.

To maximize the other benefits of the process, leverage these strategies and best practices to ensure you make the most of your wealth screening efforts.

When Do You Use Wealth Screening?

Organizations use wealth screening to gather prospect data during the early stages of large-scale and rolling fundraising projects like:

  • Capital campaigns
  • Fundraising events
  • Annual fund contributions

When used properly, wealth screening can help your fundraising team create realistic donation goals and plan your direct asks while developing a fundraising campaign.

Wealth Screening Best Practices

Clean your database before inputting your new wealth screening information.

Clean Your Database

Prior to diving into your wealth screening, take a step back and begin by cleaning up your donor data.

You want to start your research off on the right foot, which means you should ensure that the existing donor information in your database is clean. Cleaner records will yield far more accurate screening results than messier data.

What does clean mean here?

  • Removing duplicate information — Don’t accidentally screen donors twice!
  • Purging lapsed donors — Don’t screen someone who hasn’t given in years!

When we talk about clean data, we also need to mention database management on the whole.

If your team has the proper procedures in place for data input and handling and you have an effective CRM (constituent relationship management system), you’ll be positioning yourself for more effective fundraising across the board, wealth screening included.

Takeaway:  The accuracy of your wealth screening results is directly correlated to the quality of the data you put in. Better data equals better output.

Learn how to multiple donations by examining matching gift programs at companies.

Uncover Business Connections

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø defines corporate philanthropy as, “The act of a corporation or business promoting the welfare of others, generally through charitable donations of funds or time.â€�

How does that relate to wealth screening, though?

As part of wealth screening, you can reveal the key corporate connections of your prospects and donors. With that knowledge, you can then determine which of your major gift prospects work for companies with generous corporate philanthropy initiatives.

After uncovering that information, use what you’ve learned to promote specific corporate giving programs, like the top matching gift companies, to prospects who are eligible to receive them.

Takeaway: With the right strategy, you can potentially use the results of a wealth screening to double a donor’s gift!

Stock ownership is a major financial marker that should be analyzed in wealth screening.

Study Up On Stock Ownership

Stock ownership in publicly held companies is one of the top means of analyzing donor wealth, and as such, it should be included in robust wealth screenings.

As far as wealth markers go, stock ownership is one of the standards. Essentially, it will give you a window into a donor’s total wealth. You can then use that window to calculate giving capacity.

Just remember that you’ll only be able to find data on ownership of public companies through the SEC.gov site. Use your best judgment to assess how much of a donor’s wealth their stock ownership is.

Takeaway: Stock ownership is major wealth indicator with great predictive value if you’re aware of its limitations.

Capture more targeted results by segmenting your donor pool of wealth screening data.

Segment the Donors That You Screen

Screening, though incredibly helpful, can be an extensive process. In order to maximize the effectiveness of your screenings, you’ll want to screen in segments. Find and use a that includes all kinds of useful metrics. This way, you can create prioritized lists that each address a different aspect of your fundraising needs.

You can segment donors according to many categories, such as:

  • Event attendees: This will not only increase the fundraising totals from your events but help your team transition supporters from attendees to donors.
  • Major gift donors: Major gift donors are game-changers; your nonprofit should do all it can to find qualified prospects.
  • Loyal donors: First, loyal donors deserve additional recognition and stewardship. Second, loyal donors are prime candidates to be upgraded to higher giving levels.

As you can see, each screening each group will assist your nonprofit with a specific area of your fundraising endeavors, but just because your screenings are segmented that doesn’t mean the way you implement the results should be!

For instance, during the quiet phase of a , you’re likely to host an event catered solely to major donors. In that case, a major gifts screening will tell you about your event attendees and vice versa.

Takeaway: When you segment your donor pool out for wealth screening, you are able to capture more targeted, detailed results.

Research your donors' real estate holdings while wealth screening.

Research Real Estate Holdings

Owning a lot of real estate is hard to do without a lot of money. For that reason alone, you’ll already want to include real estate in your wealth screening strategic plan.

But there’s more to it. Real estate ownership isn’t just a marker of wealth.

, individuals who own more than $2 million in real estate are many times more likely than the average person to give charitably. Up to 17 times more likely, actually.

You’ll get more out of your wealth screening if you recognize the statistical importance of real estate ownership and weight it appropriately in your results.

Takeaway: Real estate ownership is more than just a wealth marker; it’s a statistical indicator of a prospective donor’s philanthropic interest.

Gain insight into a prospect's wealth and philanthropy by checking up on their political giving history.

Look into Political Giving History

Political giving is one of those rare data types that both teaches your nonprofit about a prospect’s likelihood of giving as well as their ability to do so.

When someone donates to a political campaign, they’re demonstrating an openness to making contributions when they feel moved to do so. If your frontline fundraisers can engage those prospects to the same extent, there’s a good chance they’ll be willing to donate to your cause.

On the wealth side of things, the size of someone’s past political contributions can give you a sense for how much they’re able to donate to your specific campaign.

Because of this duality, political giving is a must-have indicator. As , “Donors who give over $2,500 in FEC and charitable campaigns are 14 times more likely to give a charitable contribution than those who do not.�

Takeaway: By incorporating political giving analysis into your wealth screening, you get a 2-for-1 deal. You gain insight into wealth and philanthropy!

Uncover Employment Data

Uncover Hidden Capacity with Employment Data

One of the most powerful (and often overlooked) strategic benefits of wealth screening is the ability to identify employer data. Knowing where a donor works does more than just tell you their salary range. It unlocks the potential for matching gifts.

Many donors are match-eligible but do not know it. When your screening reveals an employer, you can cross-reference that with a matching gift database.

According to ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø’s matching gift statistics, an estimated $4 to $7 billion in matching gift funds goes unclaimed every year.

By identifying these employment indicators early, you can:

  • Identify donors who work for companies with high match ratios (like 2:1 or 3:1).
  • Create targeted email campaigns reminding specific segments to submit their match requests.
  • Immediately increase the value of the donations you are already receiving.

Using a fundraising software like ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏÍø makes this actionable, allowing you to capture revenue that would otherwise be left on the table.

Takeaway: Employment data is the key to unlocking workplace giving success, allowing you to increase revenue without asking donors to reach back into their pockets.

Identify Challenge Grant Leaders

Identify Your Next Challenge Grant Leaders

Wealth screening is essential for identifying the “major” in major donors. But beyond a one-time large gift, these high-capacity individuals are the perfect candidates to spearhead a challenge grant.

A challenge grant acts as a magnet for other donations. It gamifies the giving experience. When a major donor agrees to match donations up to a certain amount within a timeframe, it creates urgency.

Screening helps you find these leaders by flagging:

  • High liquidity: Donors with cash on hand who can commit to a large sum upfront.
  • Past affinity: Donors who have supported specific campaigns in the past and want to see them succeed.

By approaching a high-net-worth individual with the opportunity to lead a challenge grant, you are offering them a partnership, not just a donation receipt. This elevates the relationship and maximizes the impact of their wealth.

Takeaway: Use wealth screening to find donors with the liquidity to lead challenge grants, turning their major gifts into powerful fundraising magnets.

Make time for wealth screening at your next fundraising event.

Screen Before Events

Perform a wealth screening of your event RSVPs before your next fundraising event and make the most of their time in your presence.

When you wealth screen beforehand, there are plenty of benefits, including:

  • Knowing whom to invite. Before you send your invitations out, screen your donor pool to discover who would enjoy and get the most out of the event.
  • Knowing where to seat people. Guest lists are a challenge, but seating charts are just as difficult. The better you know your donors, the easier the task is. Wealth screening to the rescue!
  • Knowing whom to focus on. Your fundraisers will be very busy. Use the screening results to decide which attendees should get additional attention from your staff.
  • Knowing how to follow up. Learn how best to cultivate your attendees after the event is over by educating yourself on their preferences through wealth screening.

Takeaway: During all stages of an event, there’s a time and place for wealth screening!

Confirm your results to feel confident about your solicitation strategy.

Confirm Your Results

According to a recent article on , the research is there so that you can, “Determine the right amount to ask for and the right way to ask.�

Your solicitations are only as good as the data you’re relying on to plan them.

When it comes to wealth screening results, data verification is a must!

When your data comes in from your screening, you need to ensure its accuracy. How you went about screening (company, in-house researchers, consultants) will factor into the level of verification needed.

At the end of the day, you know your donors better than anyone. If something seems inaccurate within your results, don’t hesitate to check it!

Takeaway: Double-check that your wealth screening results are accurate so you can feel confident in the information driving your solicitation strategy.

Use your wealth screening to craft an ask strategy.

Craft an Ask Strategy

Identifying and segmenting high net worth individuals is one thing, but converting that information into a useful conversion strategy is another. Luckily, the same information you used to identify your potential major donors can help you out when you make your ask.

After all, the most effective asks are the most specific. By sending specific asks, you increase your chances of a donor feeling a connection instead of being annoyed.

When reaching out for major gifts, consider how these two major data points can inform your asking strategy:

  • Segment: The results of your wealth screening will give you an idea of what you could reasonably ask from a donor. You want to find the sweet spot between asking too much (and getting nothing) and asking too little (leaving funds on the table).
  • Giving history: You’ll definitely be looking into your donors’ giving history, so you’ll have plenty of information about the causes and organizations they’ve supported in the past. Look for connections between their interests and campaigns you’re running, then send specific information about the events or fundraisers you think they’ll be most likely to support.

Takeaway: You can use the results of your wealth screening to tailor your asks to the amounts and campaigns your donors are most likely to support.

Use prospect research on top of wealth screening to form a top solicitation strategy.

Recognize the Limits of Wealth Screening

Although wealth screening can be immensely beneficial, it does have its limits. The more aware you are of its limitations, the better you’ll be able to maximize its benefits.

The truth of the matter is, wealth screening is only half of what you need to determine a high-quality fundraising prospect.

A donor’s financial situation speaks to what he or she is capable of donating but not if he or she is willing to do so.

To best account for the willingness factor, look into full prospect screening, which takes charitable indicators such as nonprofit involvement and past giving into account.

Takeaway: A wealth screening will put your nonprofit in the fundraising race, but to cross the finish line.

Additional Wealth Screening Resources

Wealth screening is a powerful tool, but only if you use it to inform a broader strategy. From cleaning your data to identifying employment-based matching opportunities, these insights allow you to build deeper relationships with the right people.

These benefits are just the beginning. To build a complete strategy that powers your fundraising better, check out our Ultimate Guide to Prospect Research.

Guide to Prospect Research

Learn the ins and outs of prospect research with our top guide.

Need to learn more about prospect research and how it can help your nonprofit?

Read our ultimate guide to become an expert about prospect research and wealth screening!

Prospect Research Tools

Explore our roundup of essential prospect research tools for your nonprofit.

There are many ways to find out more about your donors and their giving habits.

Check out these free and paid prospect research tools that can give your nonprofit more insight.