DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM RESEARCHER 35301

05/01/92 B

This is the first class in a series of classes for positions that conduct research to locate prospective donors for raising funds and other gifts to support a state agency. Positions in this class research and identify past, current and prospective donors to the agency to support the agency fund raising efforts. This class is distinguished from the Development Program Researcher Senior by the latter's additional responsibility for coordinating and supervising a research unit.

Complexity of Work: Performs work of moderate difficulty that involves conducting various research projects; analyzing and evaluating financial, statistical and narrative documents to compile research data and determine prospects and their available resources and interests. Work typically includes formulating cultivation and solicitation strategy recommendations for the development staff; writing biographical profiles, extracts of available data, and summary descriptive, analytical and financial reports; and maintaining research data in manual and automated filing systems. Updates a research library; analyzes reference documents such as Who's Who, Dunn & Bradstreet reports, corporate and foundation annual reports, 10k statements, proxy statements, Dialog Information System, periodicals; and national, financial, state and local newspapers. Responds to requests for development research data by agency officials to plan a strategy for requesting gifts from individuals, groups, foundations, and corporations. May have additional administrative responsibilities for agency unique fund raising projects/programs such as researching and writing grant proposals or coordinating arrangements for special events.

Supervision Given: Supervision is typically not a factor; however, some positions may coordinate the work of office support staff.

Supervision Received: Receives directions from a faculty administrator/professional, Development/Fund Raising Researcher Senior, or other agency administrator on research projects in the form of assignments, status discussions, review, evaluation and suggestions to improve research data, special event plans, reports and other activities.

Scope: Positions in this class complete research projects requiring the identification, compilation and summary of prospective donor data that affect the identification of prospects and strategies designed for agency development/fund raising programs.

Impact of Actions: Effective completion of assigned research projects and tasks can increase the number of potential donors and gifts to the agency. Ineffective decisions affect the accuracy and reliability of the donor information base, possible loss of donor good will, and attainment of goal levels for fund raising activities.

Personal Contacts: Positions have frequent internal and/or external contact with agency staff and reference librarians to extract prospective personal, foundation and corporate donor information from a wide variety of resource documents. Frequent external contacts with staff and officials of corporations and foundations; and city, county and federal government to obtain or verify prospective donor information.

Knowledge: Working knowledge of research principles and techniques; and fund raising research reference documents and their use.

Skills: Working skill in keyboarding and operation of computer application software as a resource tool.

Abilities: Demonstrated ability to research and analyze a variety of reference materials such as census data, annual reports, biographical profile collections, tax data, news sources, and foundation publications; to compile, evaluate and disseminate data on prospective donors; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; and to carry out fund raising, development, donor recognition, and research projects.

QUALIFICATIONS GUIDE*

Licenses or Certification: None.

Education or Training: Graduation from an accredited college or university with course work in research principles, technical writing, communications, marketing, library science, or a related field.

Level and Type of Experience: Some experience in research; library science/reference work; or writing reports summaries and bibliographical profiles or related work.

An equivalent combination of training and experience indicating possession of the preceding knowledge and abilities may substitute for this education and experience.

This class was created as a result of the Information series study which was a part of the Classification Review/Specification Update Program. It was established in May 1992.