Prospect Researcher

Facing History; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

HRA

Vision

Life & Disability

403(b) retirement plan

Paid time off

Wellness programs

Employee assistance program

Job summary

Facing History & Ourselves seeks a Prospect Researcher to identify and analyze donor information, delivering research products and risk assessments to strengthen the donor pipeline. This role supports regional expansion and collaboration with the Development team.

The position requires at least 2 years in prospect research, experience with both individual and institutional donors, and proficiency in tools like iWave and LexisNexis. Remote-first, US-based home office with travel expectations.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of direct experience in prospect research with a proven record of producing profiles, briefings, and risk assessments.
• Experience with both individual and institutional research required.
• Proficiency with prospect research tools (iWave, LexisNexis, Foundation Directory Online, GrantWatch, RelationshipScience) and CRM systems required; Salesforce experience is a plus.
• Facing History emphasizes inclusive hiring and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Produce a standardized menu of research products, including in-depth donor profiles, meeting briefings, and event snapshots for leadership and regional teams.
• Research prospects (foundations and corporations) to map relationships, giving capacity, and philanthropic history.
• Conduct thorough due diligence and risk assessments to protect the organization and align with gift policies.
• Support event leads to prioritize guest lists and identify must-know prospects for signature fundraisers and cultivation events.
• Collaborate with the Managing Director and grant writing team to generate institutional prospects that support regional expansion.
• Transition Raw Screening into Qualified Screening by validating data for a high-quality donor pipeline.
• Summarize information from multiple sources into concise leadership-ready briefs.

Skills

Research skills

Analytical thinking

Communication

Time management

Education

Tools

iWave

LexisNexis

Foundation Directory Online

GrantWatch

RelationshipScience

Salesforce

Job description

What we do here matters. Build your career where you can feel good about what you do and valued for your contributions. See all open job opportunities at Facing History & Ourselves.

Are you ready to make a real impact on the future of young people all around the world?

Bring your skills and talents to Facing History & Ourselves, where we support teachers and their students in building a world of knowledge, compassion, justice, and equity.

Facing History & Ourselves uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to racism, antisemitism, and other forms of bigotry and hate. We started in a single classroom in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1976. Now we partner with over 300,000 educators from around the world who have joined our network. Our professional development and curricular materials are proven to improve classroom outcomes for teachers and students. Facing History believes that students can become upstanders in their communities—with the right encouragement and preparation. Our approach combines intellectual rigor with social emotional learning and ethical reflection to motivate students to positively engage in their communities.

Our values speak volumes. Take a look at our five guiding values and consider how they align with your own principles. We’re not just hoping for a better future, it’s a goal we’re actively working toward every day.

Open Positions

Bring your diverse perspectives, skills, and talents to Facing History & Ourselves. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants. If you have a disability and need accommodation during the application or recruitment process, please contact us.

Reports to: Managing Director, Development Strategy & Services

Location: US-Based Home Office

Status: Exempt; Full Time

Salary Range*: $58,000 - $65,000 (IC2/B3)

Start Date: Immediate

Facing History & Ourselves is a global education non-profit organization that challenges teachers and students to use lessons of history to stand up to racism, antisemitism, and other forms of bigotry and hate.

The Prospect Researcher identifies and analyzes information on individual and institutional donors to help the Development team build informed engagement strategies. By delivering a range of research products—from high-level snapshots to in-depth profiles—and conducting critical risk assessments, this role ensures the department has the actionable insights needed to grow the donor pipeline and support strong, well-informed relationship management.

Key Duties & Accountabilities

Produce a standardized "menu" of research products, including in-depth donor profiles, meeting briefings, and at-a-glance event snapshots tailored to specific use cases for executive leadership, senior development staff, and regional teams.

Perform research on both individual and institutional prospects (foundations and corporations) to map relationships and identify giving capacity, affinity, and philanthropic history.

Conduct thorough due diligence and formal risk assessment vetting to protect the organization and ensure alignment with gift acceptance policies.

Partner with event leads to prioritize guest lists and identify "must-know" prospects for signature fundraisers and cultivation events.

Partner with the Managing Director, Institutional Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives and grant writing team to produce a steady stream of institutional prospects that support regional expansion.

Manage the transition of "Raw Screening" (initial wealth data) into "Qualified Screening" by validating and confirming data to ensure a high-quality donor pipeline.

Synthesize information from multiple sources into concise summaries for Development leadership and board bios.

Proactive Identification & Strategic Support (25%)

Dedicate consistent time to proactive prospecting to uncover high-potential individuals and institutions not yet assigned to a portfolio.

Support specialized strategic needs, such as identifying candidates for Board pipeline growth, expansion into new geographies, and tracking philanthropic trends.

Monitor external news and financial filings for indicators of new wealth or shifting interests among potential donors.

Training & Staff Enablement (15%)

Develop and deliver standard onboarding and refresher training to help Development staff navigate basic research tools and interpret profiles.

Create role-specific guidance for staff on leveraging research tools (e.g., iWave) for local projects and relationship management.

Establish and manage clear request protocols and turnaround standards to ensure the department understands how to access research services.

Core Competencies for Role:

Strong research and analytical abilities with a skill for synthesizing information from multiple sources into a clear narrative.

Disciplined self-starter who takes initiative and manages their own research queue and project timelines independently.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a talent for creating brief, readable formats for busy stakeholders.

Customer-service mindset, characterized by responsiveness, professionalism, and a commitment to meeting established deadlines.

High degree of discretion and integrity when handling sensitive or confidential donor information.

Other Skills & Qualities:

Facing History understands that restrictive job requirements may exclude historically marginalized groups from applying to jobs for which they are qualified. We take an equitable and holistic screening approach. If you feel you have demonstrated experience and expertise relevant to perform this role, please don’t hesitate to apply!

Minimum 2 years of direct experience in prospect research with a proven track record of producing various research products, including profiles, briefings, and risk assessments.

Experience with both individual and institutional research required.

Proficiency with prospect research tools (e.g., iWave, LexisNexis, Foundation Directory Online, GrantWatch, RelationshipScience) and CRM systems required; Salesforce experience is a plus.

Experience in the nonprofit sector required; background in the education or nonprofit education sector is a significant bonus.

Demonstrated ability to work both as a collaborative team member and as a focused, independent contributor.

Benefits Summary: In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, Facing History provides an excellent and competitive compensation and benefits package including medical with a fully employer-sponsored health reimbursement account (HRA), dental, vision, life & AD&D, long-term & short-term disability insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with a discretionary organizational contribution, generous paid time off, an employee assistance program, travel assistance plan, pre-tax commuter spending accounts, flexible spending accounts, voluntary Colonial Life group plans, robust wellness programs through aHealthyMe, an employee discounted marketplace through BenefitHub, weekly virtual yoga and meditation, 403(b) advisement, and a friendly work environment.

Facing History values a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Our Commitment to Inclusion. Our strength as an organization is directly tied to the diversity of our staff, leadership, educators, students, scholars, and volunteers. We strongly encourage each member of our community to be intentional and self-reflective in their attitudes toward others. This intentionality not only makes for a safer, happier, and more vibrant workplace, but it reflects the ethical framework of the content we produce for teachers and students. Our continued dedication to an inclusive work environment includes facilitating group learning journeys throughout the year and making space for optional employee resource groups. Together we show grace and support to ourselves and our colleagues so that we can all contribute in ways which are meaningful and rewarding.

Remote-first/Hybrid Work Model (US Home Based): Facing History & Ourselves operates in a remote-first/hybrid work model, allowing staff flexibility in both schedules and work locations. This particular position is home-based. Travel is required.

* We strive to offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience in a similar position. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary range between the minimum and midpoint depending on experience and in alignment with internal parity.

6+ years is the average tenure of staff at Facing History.

Benefits Overview

Health

Facing History offers a competitive benefits portfolio to eligible staff including:

• Medical
• Company sponsored Health Reimbursement Account
• Vision
• Life and Disability Coverage
• TouchCare Employee Concierge Service
• Health Care & Dependent Care Spending Accounts

Financial Wellbeing

Our goal is to help you prepare for your financial future through:

• 403 (b) Retirement Plan
• 5% Employer Discretionary Contribution
• WellCents
• Work from home stipend and pre-tax commuter benefits

Wellness & Life balance

How you show up to do your work is of utmost importance to us. We have engaged programs that will provide you with the support you need along the way.

• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee-led Resource Groups (ERGs)
• AhealthyMe Wellness Rewards Program
• Culture Club
• Weekly zoom yoga/meditation sessions
• Generous vacation and paid time off, including caregiver and LOA benefits, paid holidays (including a generous Winter Break), sick time, vacation and personal days.