To maximize our fundraising efforts, Miami University instituted sweeping changes in FY19 to our prospect management program. Prior to that, our development officers each managed prospect portfolios of up to 300 households, and were evaluated primarily on volume of visits, and cultivation of those prospects. Taking a cue from other successful programs, Miami launched a program we called Qualitative Portfolio Review, where were strategically and substantially reduced the number of managed households. This was a serious shift in philosophy, and one designed to allow development officers to focus on a significantly smaller number of prospects, each of whom would be solicited for a major gift within three years. The goal of the QPR was to require development officers to manage higher-rated prospects and increase the number of asks, the dollar-amount of asks, and number of closes each year.
