By Julie Linkletter
Members of APRA Canada were invited to participate in APRA Canada’s fourth membership survey from November 30 through December 16th 2011. 78 members or 39% of invited members responded. Thank you very much to everyone who completed the survey. The information tabulated from your responses will help the board of APRA Canada as we plan new activities for our members and for prospect researchers across Canada.
You can view the results of the survey as well as previous surveys at http://www.apracanada.ca/survey_member. The survey results will also be discussed at APRA Canada’s upcoming conference in October during the Expert’s panel. I hope that you can join us for this discussion which is always lively and informative.
Who is a member of APRA C?
30% of respondents were between 25 and 34 years old and another 30% were between 35 and 44 followed by 28% who are 45-54. This is similar to the 2009 results where there was also a tie, with 35% of respondents between 25 and 34 and another 35% of respondents between 35 and 44. Most respondents were between 25 and 34 in both 2006 and 2004.
As in all previous surveys, most respondents (87%) were women. In 2011, 54% were from Ontario followed by 23% from BC, 13% from Alberta and 2.5% from Nova Scotia. This is slightly different from results in 2009 when 60% were from Ontario followed by 18% from BC, 7% from Alberta and 4.5% from Quebec.
Education and Experience
In 2011 31% of respondents had 1-3 years’ experience in prospect research and 31% had 6-10 years’ experience. 11% had less than 1 year experience. In 2009 41% had 1-3 years’ experience followed by 24% with 6-10 years’ experience. In 2006 most researchers (33%) had 1-3 years’ experience and in 2004 44% had 1-3 years’ experience.
In 2011 55% of respondents had a Master's degree (including an MLS or MLIS), followed by 28% with a Bachelor's degree. This is very consistent with 2009 and 2004. There was a slight difference in 2006 when 43% respondents had their Master’s degree (including an MLS or MLIS). The required education for respondents’ positions however differed from respondents’ actual qualifications. In 2011, only 47% of positions required a Bachelor’s degree followed by 41% requiring a Master’s degree (including MLS or MLIS).
This is different from previous years, which are as follows:
2009: 47% of positions required a Master's degree (including MLS or MLIS), 44% required a Bachelor’s degree.
2006: 51% of positions required a Bachelor's degree followed by 38% which required a Master's degree (including MLS or MLIS)
2004: 54% of positions required a Bachelor's degree followed by 36% which required a Master’s degree (including MLS or MLIS)
In 2011 83% respondents held fulltime positions followed by 13% with contract positions. This is very similar to results from 2009 and 2006, but a change from 2004 when 87% held full-time positions and 10% held part-time positions. Most respondents in 2011 (83%) spend more than 50% of their time doing research. This is slightly different from 2009 (87%) and 2006 (79%). This question was not asked in 2004.
Following is a list of jobs titles held by respondents in 2011:
Title | Percentage of Respondents |
Prospect Researcher | 27% |
Manager of Research | 20% |
Research Officer | 15% |
Research Coordinator | 5% |
Research Director | 5% |
Research Analyst | 4% |
Senior Research Officer | 4% |
Associate Director | 3% |
Advancement/Development Officer | 3% |
Stewardship Officer/Coordinator | 3% |
Assistant | 1% |
Consultant | 1% |
Development Information Officer | 1% |
Grants or Proposals Officer/Manager/Coordinator | 1% |
Major Gifts Coordinator | 1% |
President/CEO/Executive Director | 1% |
Prospect Management Specialist | 1% |
Research & Stewardship Officer | 1% |
Senior Consultant | 1% |
Following is a table of salaries earned by prospect researchers in 2011:
$30,000 - $34,999 | 1% |
$35,000 - $39,999 | 4% |
$40,000 - $44,999 | 12% |
$45,000 - $49,999 | 5% |
$50,00 - $59,999 | 29% |
$60,000 - $69,999 | 18% |
$70,000 - $79,999 | 13% |
$80,000 - $89,999 | 4% |
$90,000+ | 4% |
Prefer not to answer | 9% |
As you can see, most respondents (29%) earned between $50,000 and $59,999 in 2011 followed by 18% who earned between $60,000 and $69,999. This is consistent with 2009 when 27% earned between $50,000 and $59,999 and 22% earned between $60,000 and $69,999, but different from 2006 when most respondents (32%) earned between $40,000 and $49,999 followed by 31% who earned between $50,000 and $59,999. The results in 2004 were also different as most (25%) earned between $50,000 and $59,999 followed by 22% who earned between $40,000 and $49,999.
Our workplace
In 2011 49% of respondents worked in higher education followed by 28% who worked in health care. In all four surveys in fact, most researchers worked in higher education followed by healthcare. In 2011, only one respondent each indicated they worked in international development or as a consultant/freelancer.
In 2011, most researchers (43%) worked in a shop of 2 to 4 researchers followed by 32% who worked in a solo shop. In 2009 48% worked in a 2 to 4 person shop and 36% worked on their own. In 2006 44% worked by themselves and 34% worked in a 2 to 4 person shop but similar to 2009, 45% worked in a 2 to 4 person shop in 2004 followed by 39% who worked on their own.
Fundraising Goals / Campaign
In 2011, 32% of respondents were in the public phase of their campaign followed by 22% who were not in a campaign but instead were focused on sustainable fundraising. This logically follows the results from 2009 when 33% of respondents were in the quiet phase of a campaign. In 2006 32% were in a public campaign with 24% reporting in both 2006 and 2009 that they were in no campaign. In 2004 there was a tie as 28% reported being in a quiet phase and 28% reported that they were not in a campaign.
In 2011, 21% of respondents had an annual fundraising goal between $20 million and $49 million, 15% had a goal between $5 million and $9.9 million. In 2009 25% of respondents reported a goal between $10 million and $19 million followed by 17% with a goal over $100 million. In 2006, 26% had a goal between $20 million and $49 million followed by 15% with a goal between $10 million and $19 million. In 2004, 22% had a fundraising goal to raise between $20 million and $49 million followed by 19% who had a goal over $100 million.
Resources
Following is a list of fee based services subscribed to by respondents.
Name of Fee Based Service | Percentage of Respondents |
None | 7% |
Canadian Business Resource | 15% |
CharityCan | 11% |
Dig In Research | 4% |
Factiva | 16% |
FPInfomart | 29% |
Hoover's Online | 26% |
Imagine Canada (Directory to Foundations & Corporations | 57% |
iWave | 47% |
Lexis Nexis | 12% |
Metasoft | 29% |
Mint Global | 6% |
Newscan | 3% |
Noza | 40% |
Prospect Research Online (PRO) | 51% |
Other: Periodicals – NYT, Business publications, etc. BC Online, DataQuick ProQuest, Canada Who’s Who, Marquis Who’s Who Dig In Research (x3) Businessweek I get most of these free through the University library Factiva (on demand only) Various business databases, e.g. EBSCO, Investext, Passport GMID, etc. US Foundation Center, Marketline/Data Monitor 360 | 15% |
It appears that respondents are subscribing to a greater variety of resources now with less respondents subscribing to each unique resource. In 2009, the most respondents (78%) subscribed to Imagine Canada, significantly more than 2011. Also in 2009, 65% subscribed to PRO as opposed to 51% in 2011.
Professional Development
Respondents reported that they are members of the following organizations in 2011:
Organization | Percentage of Respondents |
None | 32% |
APRA International | 40% |
Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP) | 1% |
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) | 20% |
Association of Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) | 3% |
Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) | 4% |
Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP) | 4% |
Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) | 7% |
London Regional Fund Raising Executives (LRFRE) | 4% |
Special Libraries Association (SLA) | 6% |
Other: APRA-NW Toronto Special Libraries & Information Services (T-SLIS, formerly CASLIS) Board of Trade Montreal Library (paid organization membership) | 12% |
12% fewer respondents were members of APRA International in 2011 (40%) compared to 2009 (52%) and 10% fewer respondents were members of CASE in 2011 (7%) compared to 2009 (17%). During the same period the number of respondents who were members of AFP jumped from 11% in 2009 to 21% in 2011.
Experience as APRA C Members
55% of respondents attended APRA C’s conference in 2010 and 55% plan to attend the conference in 2012 with another 35% still unsure.
A very gratifying 97% of respondents read The Scoop with 89% satisfied with receiving the newsletter once every quarter. 15 respondents helpfully suggested topics for articles and themes for The Scoop.
70% of respondents would like to meet with other prospect researchers in their area informally and 68% of respondents find the opportunity to participate in webinars and conferences the most valuable aspect of their APRA C membership followed by 59% who value the networking opportunities available to members.
There were more survey results than could be covered here. Please view the whole survey online at http://www.apracanada.ca/survey_member as well as the previous surveys from 2004, 2006 and 2009.
Thanks again very much to APRA C members who completed the survey. Your feedback is important and your ideas are invaluable as we find ways to improve APRA Canada.