News flash! Knowing what you're doing is good!
A recent story in the Chronicle of Philanthropy says so: Donor Research Plays a Key Role in College Fund-Raising Success, Study Finds ...
Colleges that win the most contributions ... have done so in part by spending more money than other institutions to hire full-time staff members to conduct research on alumni and other potential donors, according to a new survey.
Of course, that's like saying pedestrians who look both ways before they cross the street have a lower rate of getting hit by cars.
The study mentioned, by WealthEngine is available here: 2009 Best Practices in Prospect Research in Higher Education Fundraising (registration required).