2 of 14

Agenda

Introduction
Genealogical Research 101

Who Can Do It?
What Information Is Valuable/Not Valuable?
Where to Store This Information
When to Conduct Genealogical Research
Strategic Value in Prospect Development

Tips, Tricks, & Tools for Research
Questions & Connections

Here’s what we’ll cover in our time together today. We’ll begin with a brief introduction to set the stage and then move into what I like to call “Genealogical Research 101.” This section will break down the foundational elements of this work, starting with who is best suited to conduct genealogical research within the prospect development function. From there, we’ll examine what types of information are valuable, which data points are not, and how to distinguish between insight and noise. Next, we’ll address where to store and manage these findings, so they’re not just collected but used to inform strategy across departments. We'll also discuss when it makes sense to incorporate genealogical research into your workflow, not just as a one-off project, but as a proactive, timely component of your ongoing donor intelligence efforts.

Then, we’ll shift toward understanding the strategic value of genealogical research—why it matters, and how it enhances the work you’re already doing. This isn’t about replacing your current tools—it’s about refining them, adding dimension to the donor picture, and creating long-term value through intergenerational insight. After we’ve laid that foundation, I’ll walk you through a series of practical tips, techniques, and tools to help you start applying genealogical methods in your research practice. Whether you’re working with a well-resourced advancement team or navigating constraints in a lean shop, I’ll offer approaches that can be scaled and tailored to your unique context. Finally, I’ll open the floor for questions and conversation, where we can dig deeper into your specific needs or challenges. To ensure we stay on track, I kindly ask that you hold your questions until the end, but please do jot them down as we go. This is a collaborative space, and I look forward to learning from your perspectives as well.

3 of 14

Introduction

Donor Research Coordinator
Moody Bible Institute of Chicago
Remote from NW Indiana
3.5 Years in Prospect Development
6.5 Years in Advancement Services
Avid Apra Volunteer
Fun Fact: Twin Sister

As I mentioned earlier, I am the Donor Research Coordinator at the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. I work remotely from my home in Northwest Indiana but try to visit the office once a month. I’ve been in prospect development for 3 and a half years and advancement services for 6 and a half years. I’m an avid APRA volunteer, currently serving as the Chair for APRA International’s Education and Professional Development Committee, as well as the Secretary and Communications Chair for the APRA Indiana chapter. A fun fact some of you may not know about me is that I have a twin sister named Abigail who is a Veterinarian in Valparaiso, Indiana. Before I jump in, I’ve created a poll for you to complete just so I can gauge everyone’s experience with conducting genealogical research within the realm of prospect development. Please scan the QR code and complete it now. (Wait for answers to come in.) Great, thank you, everyone, for participating!

4 of 14

Have you ever conducted genealogical research for prospect development purposes?

The Slido app must be installed on every computer you’re presenting from

Do not edit�How to change the design

5 of 14

Genealogical Research 101:

Who Can Do It?

Prospect Research Professionals
Advancement Services Staff (with Training)
Data Analysts (with Training)
Planned Giving Officers
Major Gift Officers*

Great, thank you, everyone, for participating! Based on what you already know about genealogical research, who do you think should be conducting this kind of work in prospect development? Please enter one idea into the comment section. (Wait for answers to come in and name two.) As many of you noted, prospect research professionals are uniquely positioned for this work. We are already trained to mine databases, interpret wealth indicators, and construct relationship maps that inform cultivation and solicitation strategies. Our analytical approach and attention to detail make us well-equipped to navigate the nuances of genealogical research and apply those insights with strategic precision. That said, this work should not exist in a vacuum. Advancement services and data analytics teams can also play a critical role, especially when genealogical research needs to scale. These teams are adept at managing high volumes of structured and unstructured data. With the right training, they can integrate genealogical insights into institutional CRMs, create relational tags or household groupings, and surface multigenerational giving trends. Their technical fluency allows them to translate findings into formats that drive long-term segmentation and modeling efforts. Planned giving officers, of course, are at the center of this work. Few roles require a deeper understanding of family dynamics, legacy intent, or estate structure. Genealogical research empowers them to evaluate donor intent, navigate relationships with heirs or executors, and anticipate questions that may arise during complex gift conversations. This work often intersects with sensitive life moments—loss, transition, or generational hand-offs—where emotional intelligence and legal literacy are just as important as data fluency. Finally, while major gift officers may not conduct genealogical research themselves, they are among its primary beneficiaries. They are on the front lines of donor engagement, gathering relational insights that aren’t captured in public records. These anecdotal discoveries—names of children, roles in family businesses, mentions of long-deceased relatives—often complete the picture that research teams are building. That’s why close collaboration between gift officers and researchers is so vital. The intelligence they provide in conversation, combined with genealogical analysis, gives us a fuller understanding of donor influence, motivation, and long-term potential. Ultimately, genealogical research works best when it’s integrated across roles. It’s not a one-person job; it’s a shared competency that supports the broader strategy. The key is recognizing where the work lives and where the insights land—ensuring each team understands both their role and their opportunity to contribute.

6 of 14

Genealogical Research 101:

What Information is Valuable?

Family Relationships & Lineage
Inheritance Patterns & Estate Transfers
Marital & Household Connections
Obituaries & Death Records
Census, Voter, & Address Histories
Immigration & Naturalization Records
Family Foundation & Corporate Linkages
Alumni & Educational Lineage

Based on what you already know about genealogical research, what information do you think is valuable when conducting this kind of work in prospect development? Please enter one idea into the comment section. (Wait for answers to come in and name five.) These are all great answers! Thank you for sharing. In prospect development, the most valuable genealogical data points are those that illuminate not only who the donor is, but why and how they give—both now and in the future. They allow us to build context around wealth, uncover familial influence, and anticipate philanthropic behavior with greater precision. Let’s look at a few key categories: Family relationships and lineage form the backbone of this research. They help us understand how wealth is transferred and how philanthropic values are passed down across generations. For example, identifying a donor’s children, siblings, or extended relatives may reveal patterns of joint giving, family foundation leadership, or successor interest in legacy gifts. Inheritance and estate transfers are also crucial. These records often expose wealth that isn’t visible through real estate holdings or business ownership, particularly among individuals who appear modest on the surface but control inherited assets. Probate records and estate documents can signal future giving capacity or philanthropic responsibilities among heirs. Marital and household ties provide further insight into shared giving behavior. Understanding spousal relationships can clarify gift attribution, reveal joint assets, or explain name discrepancies across donor records. This is especially important when spouses have different surnames, or when individuals remarry and their giving history becomes fragmented across households. Obituaries and death records are often overlooked but hold significant value. They not only confirm family connections but also help us identify life transitions, like memorial giving, charitable bequests, or shifts in philanthropic identity following the death of a family member. And let’s be honest—obituaries are one of the few places where people list their entire family tree and their favorite casserole recipe in one place. If only every donor profile were that thorough. These moments can mark either the beginning or end of a family’s engagement with your institution. Census, voter registration, and address histories offer a view into a donor’s socioeconomic background, residential stability, and civic participation. These data points provide clues about a family’s mobility, property ownership, and community ties—factors that influence how they may respond to regional campaigns or local stewardship efforts. Immigration and naturalization records are particularly useful when working with first-generation wealth. These documents bring forward not just identity, but story, revealing a family’s journey, values, and motivations for giving back. In these cases, philanthropy is often deeply rooted in gratitude, heritage, or religious conviction, which can be leveraged for mission-aligned engagement. Family-controlled giving vehicles—such as foundations, trusts, or donor-advised funds—are another key area of focus. These structures are often shared among relatives and can reveal patterns of influence, decision-making authority, and strategic interest. Understanding who manages these entities allows us to build relationships with the right gatekeepers. Finally, alumni and educational lineage can be a powerful predictor of long-term donor behavior. Families with multiple generations attending the same institution often exhibit high levels of loyalty. These connections not only anchor giving but also provide a natural entry point for engagement across different family branches. Taken together, these data points don’t just enrich a donor profile—they reshape it. They move us beyond static wealth indicators and into a more dynamic, relational, and future-focused understanding of donor identity, influence, and opportunity. That’s the true power of genealogical research: it transforms a list of transactions into a living legacy.

7 of 14

Genealogical Research 101:

What Information isn’t Valuable?

Speculative Lineages Without Documentation
Distant or Irrelevant Ancestry
Ethnicity/Race-Based Inferences
Estranged or Obsolete Family Connections
Overuse of Old or Excessive Vital Records
Unverified Anecdotes / Family Lore
Duplicative or Outdated Information
Personal Opinions/Unvetted Social Media Content

Based on what you already know about genealogical research, what information do you think is invaluable when conducting this kind of work in prospect development? We’re going to do the same thing here as we did for the last question. Please enter one idea into the comment section.�(Wait for answers to come in and name five.) Again, I see a few very strong answers! Thank you for contributing. Now that we’ve outlined the data that enhances our work, it’s equally important to recognize the information that detracts from it. When I say “invaluable,” I don’t mean priceless—I mean information that is irrelevant, misleading, or even counterproductive. These are data points that do not contribute meaningfully to prospect development and, in many cases, can cause real harm to your research integrity or your institution’s strategy. Let’s begin with speculative lineages—family trees built on assumptions rather than documentation. These are tempting shortcuts, especially when you’re under pressure to fill in the blanks. But if a relationship can’t be verified through legal documents, obituaries, or public records, you risk anchoring your cultivation strategy to a false narrative. A fabricated cousin or a misattributed heir can lead to misplaced outreach, reputational damage, or data integrity issues across your database. Distant or irrelevant ancestry is another common distraction. Genealogical records that reach back to the 18th or 19th centuries may be fascinating from a historical standpoint, but they rarely hold actionable value in the context of donor strategy—unless you’re working with a legacy family deeply tied to your institution. Beyond two to three generations, the strategic thread usually breaks. Including these records may overcomplicate your profiles and dilute your focus. Ethnicity- or race-based assumptions—particularly those inferred from surnames, census records, or geographic origin—are not only methodologically flawed but ethically unacceptable. Making inferences based on perceived cultural background introduces implicit bias and violates the principle of respectful, donor-centered research. It’s critical that we ground our insights in facts, not perceptions or stereotypes. Obsolete family connections, such as estranged, deceased, or legally disinherited relatives, are another red flag. These individuals may appear in older family trees or legal documents, but if they no longer maintain a relational or financial connection to the donor, their relevance is minimal. Including them in your analysis could lead to false assumptions about influence or wealth distribution. Similarly, overuse of vital records, especially death certificates or marriage licenses from decades past, can clutter your research. While these records can be useful in limited contexts—such as confirming wealth transfers or name changes—they should be applied selectively. Too much emphasis on outdated data creates noise rather than insight, making it harder to extract what truly matters. We also need to be cautious with unverified anecdotes—stories passed down in family lore or shared informally in donor conversations. While these stories can be useful starting points, they must be substantiated before being integrated into donor profiles or cultivation strategies. A single misquote or misremembered relationship can cause your strategy to veer off course. Duplicative or outdated CRM entries are another liability. When genealogical data is entered inconsistently or stored across multiple profiles, you create confusion for anyone referencing the record. This can result in duplicated outreach, contradictory stewardship, or lost institutional knowledge. Clear version control and clean data hygiene are essential safeguards. Lastly, social media speculation and personal opinions should never drive genealogical conclusions. While social media can occasionally confirm affiliations or relationships, it is not a substitute for verified documentation. Similarly, personal bias—whether your own or another team member’s—has no place in this research. Our responsibility is to construct profiles rooted in accuracy, relevance, and professional rigor. In short, not all information is helpful. Poor-quality genealogical data can derail strategies, misinform colleagues, and compromise institutional credibility. Just as we are selective in what we include, we must be equally discerning in what we leave out. Precision, not volume, is the standard.

8 of 14

Genealogical Research 101:

Where Can I Store This Information?

CRM (Structured Fields & Tags)
Internal Research Databases (e.g., Excel, Drives)
Document Management Systems (SharePoint, Box, OneDrive)

Before I continue, in your opinion, where is the best place to store genealogical research findings? Please enter your answer in the comment section. (Wait for answers to come in and name two.) Great answers! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. As you’ve identified, one of the most strategic decisions we make with genealogical research is not just how we gather it, but where we store it. Proper storage transforms raw data into institutional knowledge. It ensures that insights are accessible, actionable, and enduring—well beyond the tenure of any one researcher. Let’s start with your CRM, which should serve as your system of record for validated genealogical insights. This is where verified relationships, household giving histories, and influential affiliations belong. Use structured fields wherever possible—such as household links, relationship roles (e.g., trustee, heir, executor), or custom attributes like “legacy family” or “multi-generational donor.” These entries allow for querying, segmentation, and strategic analysis across the database. If your CRM doesn’t support document attachments or family tree visualization, get creative. Standardized tags, shared notes, and consistent naming conventions can simulate relational mapping. At Moody, for example, we’ve developed an internal taxonomy for cross-referencing legacy families. This ensures that any researcher—regardless of when they join the team—can immediately identify key relationships and navigate the data with confidence. Before insights reach the CRM, however, they often begin in a staging environment, such as internal research databases, Excel spreadsheets, or secure drives. These tools are invaluable during the exploratory phase. They allow us to log assumptions, track confidence levels, and document our research process before we finalize any conclusions. These staging areas act as the laboratory of prospect research—messy, dynamic, and essential for discovery. But raw files alone are not enough. Supporting documentation—such as annotated family trees, IRS Form 990 extracts, probate filings, or foundation org charts—should be housed in document management systems like SharePoint, OneDrive, or Box. These platforms provide version control, access permissions, and metadata tagging. This not only safeguards sensitive data but also ensures continuity in your team’s research workflows. If someone needs to revisit a file years later, they can trace its origin, understand its purpose, and verify its relevance. Every document should follow a clear naming protocol that includes the collection date, source, and intended use, whether it supports cultivation, stewardship, or legal compliance. This level of precision reduces confusion, prevents duplicate work, and allows for faster onboarding when team members transition or new researchers join the staff. You might also consider creating a centralized relationship map—not necessarily inside your CRM, but in a visual tool like Lucidchart, Miro, or even PowerPoint. These external maps can complement CRM data by offering a more intuitive grasp of complex family or organizational structures. Just be sure they are version-controlled and cross-referenced with the official CRM entries. In summary, strategic storage is more than digital housekeeping—it’s a critical part of data stewardship. It ensures that genealogical research moves beyond momentary insight and becomes an enduring asset for your advancement team. Organized correctly, this information can serve development officers, planned giving teams, and institutional leadership for years to come. The key is not just storing data but storing it with intention.

9 of 14

Genealogical Research 101:

When Do I Conduct Genealogical Research?

Board Member or Trustee Transitions
Named Building Recognition
Executive Leadership Requests
Legal/Compliance Inquiries
Planned Giving or Estate Planning Support
Alumni Lineage Research Requests

Since beginning my career in prospect development, I’ve seen firsthand how genealogical research can be applied across a wide range of advancement functions—and not just in isolated cases. It has helped me identify prospective board members by revealing familial ties to former trustees or long-standing donors. It has allowed us to locate descendants connected to named buildings—sometimes reconnecting families with institutional legacies that had gone cold. In response to executive leadership, I’ve used this research to deliver expanded family intelligence that supports high-level cultivation strategies. I’ve also verified legacy gift intentions for donors whose records lacked sufficient documentation—offering clarity to both our legal team and our stewardship officers. But those examples only scratch the surface. At Moody, I’ve used genealogical insights to map unlinked relatives of legacy students, helping to reinforce affinity patterns and deepen our understanding of generational loyalty. I’ve helped the alumni office trace multiple siblings, cousins, or even extended family members who all attended our institution—an angle that has opened new doors for outreach and engagement. I’ve supported major gift officers with family profiles that contextualize giving decisions—clarifying which family member is the actual decision-maker, and which simply signs the check. (And let’s be honest—that dynamic is more common than we like to admit.) There have also been instances where genealogical research revealed dormant philanthropic potential—uncovering relatives who had never given before but were deeply embedded in a family culture of generosity. Other times, it’s helped me identify high-capacity households that gave jointly, only to split due to divorce or estate transitions—insights that shaped how we approached stewardship, naming rights, or contact segmentation. The truth is, genealogical research functions like connective tissue in prospect development. It strengthens the relationships between otherwise disconnected data points. It doesn’t just answer who gave—it helps explain why, how, and who else might follow. In the comment section, how do you think you might use genealogical research at your organization? (Wait a minute for people to respond.) These are such thoughtful and creative responses—thank you for sharing! One of the things I love most about this kind of work is that it encourages us to think differently. It’s not about having every answer upfront. It’s about being willing to ask smarter questions, dig deeper, and consider context that others might overlook. Genealogical research rewards curiosity. The more inquisitive and inventive you are, the more strategic value you can unlock—not just for today’s campaigns, but for long-term donor engagement.

10 of 14

Genealogical Research 101:

Strategic Value of Genealogical Research

Identify Multi-Generational Donor Families
Map Wealth Transfer & Estate Dynamics
Uncover Family Foundations, Trusts, & Endowments
Clarify Complex Family Relationships
Track Cultural Values & Long-Term Giving
Enhance Stewardship & Relationship Continuity
Surface New Prospects Through Family Networks

In prospect development, our ultimate aim is not just to gather data but to produce insights that sharpen institutional strategy, guide resource allocation, and drive meaningful engagement. Genealogical research strengthens this work by helping us look beyond the individual donor and toward the broader context that shapes giving behavior. When we understand family structures—particularly within blended, estranged, or multigenerational households—we begin to uncover where true influence resides. It’s often not the most visible family member who drives philanthropic decisions, but the one managing assets, legal obligations, or family priorities behind the scenes. Through genealogical mapping, we can identify these key decision-makers and gain clarity on intergenerational patterns of giving, values, and wealth stewardship. This is especially critical in situations involving family-controlled giving vehicles—such as trusts, donor-advised funds, or private foundations—where authority may shift over time. When we link these entities to specific individuals, we illuminate both the source and the flow of philanthropic capital. This intelligence becomes even more powerful in stewardship. As donor families evolve, genealogical insight allows us to adjust strategies in real time—whether a new generation is assuming philanthropic control, a matriarch has passed away, or estranged relatives are re-engaging with institutional priorities. We can design stewardship pathways that are anticipatory, not just reactive, recognizing who needs to be brought into conversations, when transitions are likely to occur, and how best to maintain continuity. It also allows us to discover untapped prospects—cousins who share a philanthropic tradition but haven’t yet been approached, or in-laws connected to family foundations who may be receptive to outreach. These individuals often sit just outside our typical radar, but genealogical research brings them into focus. Even beyond relationships and assets, genealogical tools give us insight into a donor’s cultural identity and lived experience. Records such as immigration files, school affiliations, and historical addresses provide geographic, ethnic, and socioeconomic context that should inform how we communicate. Understanding where someone came from—literally and metaphorically—helps us approach them with respect, relevance, and relational intelligence. In short, genealogical research doesn’t just give us more data—it reorients our perspective. It allows us to move from an individual-centric model to a relational, legacy-informed model of engagement. When we shift from seeing donors as isolated profiles to understanding them within a broader familial and historical landscape, we gain the kind of strategic clarity that elevates our work from transactional to transformational.

11 of 14

Tips, Tricks, & Tools

Clarify Your Objective
Start with Obituaries
Visualize Family Structures
Prioritize Influencers (Trustees, Executors)
Track Key Life Events
Use Multiple Tools Strategically
Interpret—Don’t Just Collect
Build a Timeline & “Who’s Who” Tracker
Validate Findings Before Entering Data
Invest in Continued Training

Genealogical research in prospect development can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re staring at a flood of records, conflicting timelines, or ten different people named “John Smith,” all of whom lived on the same street in 1950. It’s like playing a game of Clue… but with census records. The sheer volume and complexity can make it difficult to discern what’s relevant and where to focus. But rather than asking, “Where do I start?”, I want to help shift our mindset to a more strategic question: “How do I work smarter?” To do that, we must adopt a prospect development framework that prioritizes efficiency, clarity, and applicability. This isn’t just about piecing together a family tree—it’s about using genealogical insight to generate real, forward-looking intelligence that directly informs fundraising strategy. The steps that follow are practical, yes—but they are also designed to reinforce the kind of critical thinking that distinguishes tactical research from high-impact research. Start by clarifying your objective. Genealogical research should not begin with curiosity—it should begin with a research question. Are you attempting to surface new prospects by tracing family ties? Are you validating the familial structure around a known donor? Are you mapping intergenerational wealth transfer to support a planned giving conversation? Clarifying the “why” prevents you from getting lost in the “what.” Use obituaries strategically. These are not just death notices—they are donor intelligence documents. Obituaries reveal marital status, surviving relatives, philanthropic affiliations, past residencies, and sometimes even religious and civic identities. They’re often the fastest route to constructing a foundational understanding of a donor’s extended network. Map relationships with intent. Creating a family tree isn’t about aesthetics—it’s about surfacing influence and connectivity. Use tools like PowerPoint, Lucidchart, or Canva not for decoration, but for pattern recognition. Visualizing this helps you spot leverage points and legacy influencers. Track the timing. Life events are often precursors to giving behavior. Retirement, business succession, marriage, divorce, inheritance, and even relocation can all serve as catalysts for a shift in philanthropic engagement. Building timelines of major events can help you align outreach with windows of receptivity and avoid missteps during periods of transition or grief. Leverage and layer your research tools. No single platform is sufficient. Use obituary databases like Legacy.com, nonprofit records on Guidestar, and genealogical platforms like Ancestry.com or MyHeritage. Validate what you find with court records, business filings, and IRS Form 990s. Layer your tools so that each data point corroborates and expands the next, building a profile that’s not just rich in detail but defensible in insight. Build a “Who’s Who” tracker. Particularly when researching common surnames or large families, this kind of cross-reference system is essential. It prevents duplicate profiling, clarifies familial roles, and provides an audit trail for how connections were established. Think of it as your version of a family reunion seating chart—just with fewer awkward conversations. Interpret—don’t just gather. It’s easy to fall into the trap of stockpiling information. But genealogical research is only as useful as your ability to interpret what you find. Who are the influencers? What’s the family’s philanthropic philosophy? Where are the points of friction or estrangement that could complicate outreach? This is where your strategic lens matters most. Align findings to donor strategy. Once you’ve validated a set of insights, the next step is application. Feed your CRM with structured data fields that reflect verified relationships. Use those insights to advise gift officers on cultivation, inform stewardship planning, and even support board nominations or legacy initiatives. The output of your research should always feed back into institutional priorities. Finally, invest in your expertise. Don’t underestimate the learning curve of this work. This is a niche discipline that benefits from formal training and peer exchange. Platforms like Apra, the National Genealogical Society, and AFP offer resources that are tailored to professionals like you—people working at the intersection of legacy, wealth, and philanthropy. Continued development in estate research, family office structures, and ethics will sharpen your effectiveness and elevate your role within your advancement team.

12 of 14

Tips, Tricks, & Tools (cont.)

Free

FamilySearch.org
USGenWeb Project
National Archives & Records Administration
AccessGenealogy
Olive Tree Genealogy

Paid

Ancestry.com

$24.99–$49.99/mo

MyHeritage

Pricing Varies

Findmypast

Starting at $9.95/mo

As institutions increasingly look to build deeper relationships with donors by understanding their family structures and wealth trajectories, genealogical research is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. And just like any research process, your results are only as good as the tools you use. So, let’s take a closer look at how to choose, combine, and apply genealogical platforms in ways that are both cost-effective and high-impact. To start, free tools remain a cornerstone of any prospect researcher’s toolbox. They’re ideal for exploratory research or when working within limited budgets. But their value goes beyond cost—they often provide access to foundational records that form the backbone of a family profile. FamilySearch.org, for instance, offers one of the most robust databases of global birth, marriage, and census records available to the public. It’s an excellent starting point for establishing generational links. The USGenWeb Project focuses on localized data—cemetery lists, county histories, and public record transcriptions—making it especially helpful when you’re researching donors in smaller communities with limited digital footprints. NARA, the National Archives, unlocks access to a wealth of federal records, including military service, immigration, and naturalization files. These often reveal life events that tie directly to identity, mobility, and legacy. AccessGenealogy shines in areas that other platforms overlook, such as Native American ancestry and marginalized populations, helping you fill in blind spots in traditional records. And Olive Tree Genealogy offers early colonial records that are often invaluable when tracing prominent family names with deep American roots. Free tools are more than placeholders—they’re launch pads. They help you sketch the framework of a family structure, identify data gaps, and form the research questions that more advanced tools can then answer. When you need to go deeper—especially when working with high-net-worth families, legacy donors, or cross-border estates—paid platforms are essential. This is where breadth meets depth. Ancestry.com leads the pack with its scale and accuracy. It’s not just about access to billions of records; it’s about the ecosystem it provides for mapping, validating, and cross-referencing those records in one place. Its DNA matching may not always be relevant in our field, but its census, obituary, and probate databases often are. MyHeritage expands your reach internationally. If you’re working with donors who have global assets, foreign family ties, or recent immigration histories, this tool can help you locate records outside the scope of Ancestry—particularly in Europe, Latin America, and parts of Asia. Its photo tools may also help support legacy documentation for family foundations or donor walls. Findmypast is a standout for researchers focusing on British or Irish ancestry. Many U.S. families have lineage tied to these regions, and parish records, old newspapers, and probate indexes from these sources can often confirm or clarify lineages suggested by domestic sources. Remember: the power isn’t just in the platform—it’s in the pairing. Using free tools for initial mapping and paid tools for confirmation ensures that your work is both efficient and credible. The most successful researchers approach this process not as a checklist, but as a layered strategy: Free tools provide broad discovery. Paid tools offer depth and verification. Together, they enable you to construct donor profiles that are robust, relational, and—most importantly—relevant. This dual-platform approach also helps you strategically time your outreach. Let’s say you’ve identified a family trust from a 990, confirmed its trustees through business records, and matched those individuals to an obituary listing a large inheritance. That’s not just a data point—it’s a cultivation opportunity. Whether you’re just beginning to explore genealogy as a supplement to your research workflow or looking to refine an established process, remember: the goal isn’t to master every tool. It’s to be intentional about which ones you use, when you use them, and how the information supports strategic decision-making. This is how genealogical research evolves from interesting insight to high-value intelligence. Now, using the QR code on the screen, I’d like you to share one takeaway—a tool, a technique, or an idea—that you’re excited to apply at your organization. What resonated with you most as we explored how genealogical platforms strengthen prospect research? (Pause to give participants time to respond.)

13 of 14

What aspect of genealogical research will you take back to your organization?

The Slido app must be installed on every computer you’re presenting from

Do not edit�How to change the design

14 of 14

Questions & Connections

Thank You for Joining! Let’s Connect!

Email: rachel.hammond@moody.edu

Phone: (312) 329-4137

When embedded thoughtfully into your prospect development workflow, genealogical research becomes more than just a supplemental tactic—it becomes a dynamic lens through which you view donors, families, and the legacies they’re shaping. It uncovers giving potential that may be obscured in conventional data points. It allows you to surface high-quality prospects that are often overlooked. And perhaps most powerfully, it gives you the context to cultivate relationships that are not only strategic but enduring, rooted in family, continuity, and trust. As we’ve seen today, this is not about assembling family trees for curiosity’s sake. You’re not becoming your office’s unofficial genealogist because you watched one episode of Finding Your Roots and got inspired. It’s about transforming fragmented information into strategic intelligence. With the right mix of tools—both free and paid—you can piece together complete, multilayered donor profiles. You can connect the dots between generations, understand how wealth flows within families, and time your outreach around key transitions—whether that’s a change in leadership within a family foundation or a sudden shift in estate planning priorities. This work also sharpens your institutional memory. You’re not just researching a donor in isolation—you’re tracking patterns across decades, even centuries, that inform how your organization builds, retains, and stewards support. It positions your team to engage families, not just individuals. And that perspective is increasingly important in an era where intergenerational giving and legacy stewardship are central to sustainable fundraising. In short, genealogical research moves you beyond passive data collection. It propels you toward strategic action—rooted in insight, refined by context, and aligned with your institution’s mission. Thank you all for spending time with me today and for your thoughtful participation throughout this session. I hope you walk away not only with tools and techniques but with a renewed sense of the strategic value you bring to your teams and institutions. If you'd like to continue the conversation—or just swap donor family tree horror stories—I’d love to connect. Please feel free to scan the QR code to find me on LinkedIn. And now, I’m happy to take any questions you may have.