Well, it's been an amazing six years with the NEDRA Board! For five of those, I've been the editor of the NEDRA News Blog, and it's hard to believe that this is my last time posting here. But while I may be going, the show still goes on! The Board held its annual retreat on June 7 and 8 to plot NEDRA's course for the coming year. One of the items discussed was the new committee leadership going forward. New committee chairs will be:

Anne Castle Award: Susan Grivno (also President)

Communications: (which will fold in the NEDRA News Blog, Marketing, and Social Media): Claire Moitra and Kristen Cocce

Conference: Erin Dupuis and Ginny Santamaria

Diversity and Inclusion: Rich Horne

Membership: Kristen Cocce and Ginny Santamaria

Nominating: Susan Grivno

Programming: Renana Kehoe and Elana Pierkowski

Scholarship (which will fold in both scholarships): Jenn Grasso (also Secretary) and Diane Parsons

Sponsorship: Bill Gotfredson (also Vice President) and Rich Horne

Volunteers: Pamela McCarthy (also Treasurer) and Diane Parsons

Website & Technology: TBD

I'm sure there will be more changes and many, many great new things coming from this board. With that, here's my last issue of the NEDRA News Blog, and then I will leave you in Claire and Kristen's capable hands!

This month saw a Resource Refresh Think Tank, a networking lunch in Western Mass, and a reprise of a program on Understanding and Utilizing SEC Filings. Thanks to everyone who came out for these! As our long-time members know, summer tends to be a quieter time for NEDRA programming, but there are already some great things planned for the fall, including a Research Basics Bootcamp and a program on Indian research! Keep an eye on the NEDRA website and on your e-mail as the Programming Committee comes up with more, and enjoy your summer!

As I wrap up my board term, I've been reflecting a lot on all that's happened over the six years I've spent as a board member. This is only a drop in the bucket of NEDRA's history, though! In this article Erin Dupuis provides a detailed look on all that's happened since NEDRA's founding.

The NEDRA Chronology

by Erin Dupuis

Have you ever wondered when NEDRA was formed? Have you been longing to know on what date and in what location the first official NEDRA meeting was held? Have you ever thought to yourself “When was the first NEDRA conference and where was it held?” Do you know who cut NEDRA’s 30th Birthday Cake? Has it ever occurred to you that you don’t know when NEDRA began recognizing industry leaders with the Ann Castle Award?

Did you know that in its first year NEDRA Membership rose nearly 800%? This fun fact might just be the key to NEDRA’s membership success as the largest Apra chapter! 

Did you know that the first two individuals to serve as NEDRA President are both Ann Castle Award Recipients? Joe Donnelly received the Ann Castle Award in 2012 and David Eberly was the 2004 Ann Castle Award Recipient. 

Continue reading and all these questions, and pretty much any other NEDRA related question you’ve ever had, will be answered. For future reference the NEDRA Chronology can be found in the history section of the NEDRA website: https://www.nedra.org/about-nedra/history/

Huge thanks to 2018 Ann Castle Award Recipient (and unofficial NEDRA Historian), David Sterling, for keeping such detailed records of all things NEDRA from 1986-2011. 

NEDRA Chronology 

1986

• Joe Donnelly, Susan Ehrman and Mike Shultz meet to begin organizing a researcher’s organization

1987

• February 1987 – Planning Committee begins meeting
• March 1987 – First ‘Official’ Meeting at Radcliffe College on March 5th
• March 1987: Membership Update: 15 members
• April 1987 – Planning committee distributes questionnaire at CASE District I conference on prospect research; 100 researchers responded
• July 23, 1987 – NEDRA was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• July 1987: Joe Donnelly elected president for 1987-1988
• Slate of 1987-1988 Board Members: Joe Donnelly; Susan Ehrman; Nancy Eidelman; Sarah Fernandez; Kate Fultz Hollis; Mary Lee; Helyn MacLean; Betty McDonald; Beth Melvin; Megan Page; Judith Rottenberg; Mick Schultz; Kim Watson

• Fall 1987: First issue of NEDRA News published
• November 1987 – Panel Discussion on Ethics in Research held at Bentley College

1988

• April 1988: Roundtable on “Research or Information Management?” at the University of Southern Maine
• April 1988: Roundtable on “Gift Processing – Whose Responsibility? in Holyoke, MA
• April 1988: Roundtable on “How Much for Whom?” at the Mystic Seaport Museum
• May 1988: 1st Annual Conference Database Searching at Brandeis University (Waltham, MA)
• May 1988: Membership Update: 133 members
• May 1988: Joe Donnelly elected president for 1988-1989
• Slate of 1988-1989 Board Members: Joe Donnelly; Susan Ehrman; Sarah Fernandez; Kate Fultz Hollis; Helyn MacLean; Beth Melvin; Megan Page; Judith Rottenberg; Mick Schultz; Kim Watson

• October 1988: Roundtable on “Research’s Role in Planning Solicitation Strategies” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• November 1988: Roundtable on “Small Shop Research” at The Williston-Northampton School in Easthampton, MA
• November 1988: Roundtable on “Information Management” at Bryant College in Smithfield, RI
• November 1988: Roundtable for Managers on “Staffing Issues” at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA
• November 1988: Roundtable on “Information Management” at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH

1989

• February 1989: Half-Day Conference at Brandeis University
• April 1989: Roundtable on “Screening and Rating” at Phillips Exeter Academy
• April 1989: Roundtable on the “Evolving Role of Development Researchers” at Brown University In Providence, RI
• April 1989: Roundtable on “Researcher Women” at Mount Holyoke College
• May 1989: Roundtable on “Identifying and Researching Planned Giving Prospects” at Harvard University Medical School
• June 1989: 2nd Annual Conference Ethics in Research at Bryant University (Smithfield, RI)
• June 1989: Joe Donnelly elected president for 1989-1990
• Slate of 1989-1990 Board Members: Joe Donnelly; Janet Couch; David Eberly; Sarah Fernandez; Kate Fultz Hollis; Lisa Peterson; Judith Rottenberg; Carol McConaghy Thorp; Kim Watson

1990

• March 1990: Mid-Winter Forum on “The Future of Major Donor Research: Roles and Responsibilities” at the University of New Hampshire
• May 1990: 3rd Annual Conference Rating and Screening: Research Gets Scientific at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA)
• May 1990: David Eberly elected president for 1990-1991
• Slate of 1990-1991 Board Members: Janet Couch; David Eberly; Kate Fultz Hollis; Kathleen Kelleher; Laurie Lamothe; Elaine Lotto; Lisa Peterson; Susan Cronin Ruderman; Carol McConaghy Thorp

• November 1990: Fall Conference Using Specialized Sources at Brandeis University (Waltham, MA)

1991

• May 1991: 4th Annual Conference at Mount Marie (Holyoke, MA)
• May 1991: David Eberly elected president for 1991-1992
• Slate of 1991-1992 Board Members: David Eberly; Robin Good; Kate Fultz Hollis; Margaret Link; Laurie Lamothe; Susan Cronin Ruderman; Mimi Landau Steele; Carol McConaghy Thorp

• October 1991: Vermont Roundtable
• November 1991: Fall Conference Surviving the Turbulent 90s: Strategies for Prospect Research at the Howard Johnson Hotel (Cambridge, MA)
• December 1991: DIALOG Roundtable

1992

• March 1992: Directors Roundtable
• April 1992: Roundtable on “Research in Hospitals and Healthcare Organizations” at Deaconess Hospital Boston
• May 1992: Roundtable “Making the Most of Scarce Resources in Cultural and Social Service Organizations” at the Museum of Science (Boston)
• May 1992: 5th Annual Conference Corporate and Foundation Research at the Ramada Hotel (Worcester, MA)
• May 1992: David Eberly elected president for 1992-1993
• Slate of 1992-1993 Board Members: Peg Dreger; David Eberly; Robin Good; Margaret Link; Laurie Lamothe; Anne Marie Michel; Janet Poeber-Jones; Susan Cronin Ruderman; Mimi Landau Steele; Carol McConaghy Thorp

• September 1992: Laurie Lamothe elected president for remainder of 1992 & 1993
• October 1992: Fall Conference: A Conference on Net Worth at the Newton Marriott Hotel (Newton, MA)

1993

• May 1993: Roundtable on Research Basics
• June 1993: 6th Annual Conference at the Johnson & Wales Airport Hotel (Warwick, RI)
• June 1993: Laurie Lamothe elected president for 1993-1994
• Slate of 1993-1994 Board Members: oPeg Dreger; David Eberly; Robin Good; Sandra Larkin; Margaret Link; Laurie Lamothe; Rob Millar; Susan Cronin Ruderman; Carol McConaghy Thorp

• October 1993: Fall Conference Strategic Assessment of Business Information at the Newton Marriott Hotel (Newton, MA)

1994

• February 1994: Roundtable “Cruising Down the Information Superhighway – A Map for Prospect Researchers” at Harvard University
• May 1994: 7th Annual Conference Hidden Millionaires: Researching Low Profile Prospects at the Guest Quarters Suite Hotel (Boston, MA)
• May 1994: Laurie Lamothe elected President for 1994-1995
• Slate of 1994-1995 Board Members: Peg Dreger; David Eberly; Georgia Glick; Robin Good; Julie Joyce; Sandra Larkin; Margaret Link; Laurie Lamothe; Merritt Maxim; Ann Hodge White; Barbara Ziff 

• August 1994: NEDRA co-hosted APRA International Conference in Boston, MA
• November 1994: Fall Conference Innovations in Prospect Research – The Technological Challenges at the Sheraton Tara Hotel (Braintree, MA)

1995

• March 1995: Roundtable on “Researching Genealogy at the National Archives” at the Silvio Conte Federal Records Center (Pittsfield, MA)
• May 1995: 8th Annual Conference Coping with Change at the Boston Newton Marriot Hotel (Newton, MA)
• May 1995: Laurie LaMothe elected President for 1995-1996
• Slate of 1995-1996 Board Members: Peg Dreger; Georgia Glick; Robin Good; Randy Lakeman; Sandra Larkin; Margaret Link; Laurie Lamothe; Merritt Maxim; Susan Moore; Almeda Nicholson; Barbara Ziff 

• October 1995: Roundtable on “Research Internet Issues for Independent Schools” Westminster School (Simsbury, CT)
• November 1995: Roundtable on “An Introduction to Using the Internet for Prospect Research” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• November 1995: Round on “Foundation Research” at the University of New England (Biddeford, Maine)

1996

• May 1996: Workshop on “Researching Private Companies” presented by David Eberly at the Kennedy School of Harvard University
• May 1996: 9th Annual Conference The Major Gifts Research Interface at the Boston Newton Marriot Hotel (Newton, MA)
• May 1996: Barbara Ziff elected president for 1996-1997
• Slate of 1996-1997 Board Members: Valerie Anastasio; Peg Dreger; Georgia Glick; Robin Good; Sandra Larkin; Margaret Link; Merritt Maxim; Susan Moore; Almeda Nicholson; Hope Prockop; Barbara Ziff 

• May 1996: Round table on “Researching Private Companies” at Harvard University
• June 1996: Workshop “Breakfast Basics – the Individual Profile” presented by Sandra Larkin
• June 1996: Workshop “Using What You’ve Got: Segmenting and targeting Your Constituency” presented by Georgia Glick and Margret Dreger in Sturbridge, Massachusetts
• November 1996: Roundtable on “Changing Roles and Demands in Development Research” at Colby College (Waterville, Maine)
• November 1996: Roundtable on “The Basics of the Individual Profile” at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• November 1996: Roundtables on “Ethical Dilemmas Facing the Prospect Researcher” and “Using the Internet Effectively for Prospect Research” at the Westminster School (Simsbury, CT)

1997

• January 1997: Roundtable on “Introduction to the Internet”
• February 1997: Roundtable on “Researching Private Companies”
• February 1997: Roundtable on “ Basics of Public Company Research & Prospect Strategy”
• May 1997: 10th Annual Conference Hidden Millionaires: Researching Low Profile Prospects at the Boston Newton Marriot Hotel (Newton, MA)
• May 1997: Barbara Ziff elected president for 1997-1998
• Slate of 1997-1998 Board Members: Valerie Anastasio; Maggie Barber; Lisa Cohen; Peg Dreger; Georgia Glick; Sandra Larkin; Susan Moore; Almeda Nicholson; Hope Prockop; Valerie Roberts; Scott Tomlinson; Barbara Ziff 

• December 1997: Roundtable on “Wall Street Compensation Trends”

1998

• April 1998: Roundtable on “Corporation and Foundations Research” at the Maine Medical Center (Portland, ME)
• May 1998: 11th Annual Conference at the Boston Newton Marriot Hotel (Newton, MA)
• May 1998: Georgia Glick elected president for 1998-1999
• Slate of 1998-1999 Board Members: Helen Brown; Georgia Glick; Patty Lam; Sandra Larkin; Barbara McGuigan; Almeda Nicholson; Marianne Pelletier; David Perkins; Valerie Roberts; Scott Tomlinson; Barbara Ziff 

• September 1998: NEDRA hires an outside management company, The Guild Associates, Inc., to handle the organization’s administrative tasks
• December 1998: Forum for Directors of Research at Brandeis University

1999

• February 1999: Roundtable on “web Tools for Effective Prospect Research Strategy” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Attendance 80
• March 1999: Roundtable on “When Research is Only One Hat on Your Rack” at New Hampshire College.
• May 1999: 12th Annual Conference Show Me the Money at the Boston Newton Marriot Hotel (Newton, MA)
• May 1999: Georgia Glick elected president for 1999-2000
• Slate of 1999-2000 Board Members: Helen Brown; Carol Byrne; Roseanne Fitzgerald; Georgia Glick; Patty Kelleher; Elise Ober LaFosse; Patty Lam; Barbara McGuigan; Marianne Pelletier; Valerie Roberts; Scott Tomlinson; Barbara Ziff 

2000

• February 2000: Workshop on “Reading Public Company Documents” presented by David Lawson and David Eberly
• April 2000: Connecticut RING at Salisbury School
• May 2000: 13th Annual Conference Measuring Impact & Adding Value: Research in the New Millennium at the Newton Marriott Hotel (Newton, MA)
• May 2000: Helen Brown elected president for 2000-2001
• Slate of 2000-2001 Board Members: Helen Brown; Carol Byrne; Paul Dakin; Roseanne Fitzgerald; Patty Kelleher; Elise Ober LaFosse; Patty Lam; Jill Meister; Marianne Pelletier; Valerie Roberts; Scott Tomlinson

• August 200: Connecticut RING at Kent School
• November 2000: RINGs at Boston Symphony Orchestra and Mount Holyoke College
• November 2000: Research 101 seminar (Waltham, MA)
• November 2000: Directors Forum at Boston University

2001

• May 2001: 14th Annual Conference The Point of Technology Doubletree Guest Suites (Waltham, MA)
• The 14th Annual Conference marked the conference format moving to a day-and-a-half format as opposed to earlier conferences that lasted for a single day
  
• May 2001: Helen Brown elected president for 2001-2002
• Slate of 2001-2002 Board Members: Helen Brown; Carol Byrne; Paul Dakin; Roseanne Fitzgerald; Patty Kelleher; Elise Ober LaFosse; Julie Macksoud; Jill Meister; Marianne Pelletier; Valerie Roberts; Pamela Smith

• November 2001: Connecticut RING at Westminster School (Simsbury, CT)

2002

• January 2002: Workshop “One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Data Mining in the 21st Century” presented by Lawrence Henze at Bryant College (Smithfield, RI)
• March 2002: Workshop “Web Searching Strategies” presented by Ran Houck at the College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA)
• March 2002: Greater Boston RING including candlepin bowling mixer.
• May 2002: 15th Annual Conference We’ve Come a Long Way Burlington Marriott (Burlington, MA)
• May 2002: The inaugural Ann Castle Award was presented to Judy Rottenburg
• May 2002: Patty Kelleher elected president for 2002-2003
• Slate of 2002-2003 Board Members: Helen Brown; Carol Byrne; Paul Dakin; Roseanne Fitzgerald; Patty Kelleher; Elise Ober LaFosse; Julie Macksound; Jill Meister; Marianne Pelletier; Valerie Roberts; Pamela Smith

• November 2002: Boston RING at the Children’s Hospital Trust

2003

• February 2003: Research Director’s Forum
• May 2003: 16th Annual Conference Research in Transition Burlington Marriott (Burlington, MA)
• May 2003: The 2nd Ann Castle Award was presented to Shelly Brown
• May 2003: Patty Kelleher elected president for 2003-2004
• Slate of 2003-2004 Board Members: Carol Byrne; Paul Dakin; Roseanne Fitzgerald; Patty Kelleher; Elise Ober LaFosse; Kathy Nadire; Marianne Pelletier; Fran Roller; Pamela Smith

• September 2003: Directors’ Forum

2004

• May 2004: 17th Annual Conference Get Smart! From Clues to Gifts Sheraton Ferncroft Resort (Danvers, MA)
• May 2002: The 3rd Ann Castle Award was presented to David Eberly
• May 2004: Paul Dakin elected president for 2004-2005
• Slate of 2004-2005 Board Members: Carol Byrne; Cheryl Cerny; Dave Chase; Paul Dakin; Roseanne Fitzgerald; Patty Kelleher; Mary Lawrence; Rick Snyder; Deborah Reinhardt Youmans; Ming Zhong

• September 2004: Boston RING at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
• September 2004: Workshop “Prospect Research 101” at Bentley College.
• December 2004: RING-Fest 2004 featured 4 RINGs over two days:
• • New Hampshire RING at Philips Exeter Academy
  • Connecticut RING at The Loomis Chafee School
  • Maine RING at Bates College
  • Boston RING

2005

• February 2005: Research Director’s Forum in Boston
• April 2005: 18th Annual Conference Sheraton Ferncroft Resort (Danvers, MA)
• April 2005: The 4th Ann Castle Award was presented to Sandra Larkin.
• April 2005: Paul Dakin elected president for 2005-2006
• Slate of 2005-2006 Board Members: Dave Chase; Paul Dakin; Lisa Howley; Mary Lawrence; Jill Meister; Amy Minton; Beth Parsons; Amy Reed; Rick Snyder; Deborah Reinhardt Youmans; Dina Zelleke; Ming Zhong

• April 2005: NEDRA votes to affiliate with APRA as the New England chapter.
• September 2005: Forum on Prospect Tracking and Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
• October 2005: Boston RING combined with APRA Virtual Seminar “Prospect Research 101”
• November 2005: Workshop on Understanding SEC Documents presented by Michelle Leder at the Federal Reserve Building in Boston
• December 2005: Boston RING combined with APRA Virtual Seminar on “Relationship Mapping – Connections, Associations and Circles of Influence” at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

2006

• January 2006: RING at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH
• February 2006: Research Director’s Forum
• March 2006: Workshop “Show Me the Money – The Role of Research in Building a Major Gifts Operation” presented by Poonam Prasad at Northeastern University
• May 2006: 19th Annual Conference Turning Over a New Leaf The Westin Hotel (Providence, RI)
• May 2006: The 5th Ann Castle Award was presented to Helen Brown
• Slate of 2006-2007 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Jill Meister (President); Rick Snyder (Vice President); Lisa Howley (Secretary); Dave Chase (Treasurer); Nancy Faughnan; Allison King Crosscup; Elise Ober LaFosse; Amy Minton; Amy Reed; Heather Reisz; David Sterling; Dina Zelleke

• June 2006: Workshop on “Welcome to Wall Street – Understanding Trends and Practices in the Financial Services Sector” presented by Professor Patrick C. Gregory of Bentley College
• September 2006 Research Directors’ Forum at the Museum of Science
• October 2006: Research Boot Camp at the Radisson Hotel in Boston
• November 2006: Research Boot Camp at the University of Massachusetts Amherst

2007

• May 2007: 20th Annual Conference Charting the Course to Success: NEDRA’s 20 Year Voyage The Cliff House (Ogunquit, Maine)
• May 2007: The 6th Ann Castle Award was presented to Elizabeth Crabtree
• Slate of 2007-2008 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Jill Meister (President); Rick Snyder (Vice President); Lisa Howley (Secretary); David Sterling (Treasurer); Dave Chase; Allison King Crosscup; Nancy Faughnan; Elise Ober LaFosse; Joe Medina; Amy Minton; Amy Reed; Heather Reisz; Dina Zelleke

• August 2007: NEDRA President-Elect Rick Snyder dons a lobster suit and man’s NEDRA’s The Expert is in Booth at the APRA International Conference in Chicago
• October 2007: Workshop “Approaches for Estimating Gift Capacity and Developing Rating Systems” presented by Elizabeth Crabtree and Joyce Newton at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• October 2007: Workshop” Research Primer & Small Shop Research” at the Hotel Marlowe, Cambridge, MA

2008

• May 2008: 21st Annual Conference Research – Coming of Age Renaissance Providence Hotel (Providence, RI)
• May 2008: The 7th Ann Castle Award was presented to Valerie Anastasio
• May 2008: The Outstanding Service Award presented to Dave Chase
• Slate of 2008-2009 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Rick Snyder (President); Amy Minton (Vice President); Heather Reisz (Secretary); David Sterling (Treasurer); Bruce Berg; Allison King Crosscup; Nancy Faughnan; Janet Liberman; Joe Medina; Jill Meister; Barbara Moore; Dina Zelleke

• June 2008: RING on "Best Practices for Corporate and Foundation Research" at Yale University
• September 2008: Research Director’s Forum at Harvard University
• September 2008: Research Basics Boot Camp at Northeastern University
• October 2008: Research Basics Boot Camp at Fairfield University

2009

• January 2009: Seminar on "Donor Privacy and Institutional Risk: Red Flags and Yellow Alerts" presented by David Eberly in partnership with Women in Development of Greater Boston
• March 2009: Research Director’s Forum at Wesleyan University
• May 2009: RING on “The Ratings Game: New Strategies for Rating and Wealth Evaluation in Today’s Economy” at Brown University
• May 2009: 22nd Annual Conference Intersections: Many Fields, One Common Goal at the Holiday Inn by the Bay (Portland, Maine)
• May 2009: The 8th Ann Castle Award was presented to Paul Dakin
• Slate of 2009-2010 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Rick Snyder (President); Barbara Moore (Vice President); Amber Countis (Secretary); Bruce Berg (Treasurer); Britt Beedenbender; Nancy Faughnan; Janet Liberman; Joe Medina; Amy Minton; Jeffrey Ouellette; David Sterling; Dina Zelleke

• September 2009: Research Boot Camp at the Radisson Hotel Boston
• September 2009: RING on “Building Your Brand: How to Market Your Prospect Research Department” at Tufts University
• October 2009: Research Director’s Forum
• October 2009: Research Seminars: New York Research: Navigating Your Way Through a Changing Financial Landscape and Leveraging Resources and Empowering Others at the Radisson Hotel Boston
• October 2009: Research Boot Camp at the University of Hartford
• November 2009: Research Seminars on” Intellectual Property” and “The Family Office” presented by Jeffrey Ouellette at the Radisson Hotel Boston
• December 2009: Boston RING at Tufts University

2010

• February 2010: Connecticut Research Director’s Forum at Saint Joseph College in West Hartford
• April 2010: 23rd Annual Conference Research: The Hub of Philanthropy Radisson Hotel (Boston, MA)
• April 2010: The 9th Ann Castle Award was presented to Charlie Carr
• Slate of 2010-2011 Board Members: Bruce Berg; Cheryl Cerny; Amber Countis; Nancy Faughnan; Tara McMullen; Amy Minto; Barbara Moore; Sarah Ruberti; Marlisa Simonson; Melissa Bank Stepno; David Sterling; Leigh Walker; Dina Zelleke

• May 2010: Workshop The Ratings Game, Part II: Successful Strategies for Rating and Wealth Evaluation in Today’s Economy presented by Elizabeth Crabtree at Brown University
• October 2010: Research Basics Boot Camp at the Radisson Hotel Boston
• October 2010: Research Boot Camp at Yale University
• November 2010: Seminar “Is the Financial Crisis Over? A Survey of Our Economy and Our Prospects” presented by Richard Horne and Steven Towns at Yale University. A joint program of NEDRA and CASE District I

2011

• The NEDRA Conference Scholarship was established and has been sponsored by the Helen Brown Group since its inception
• The inaugural Helen Brown Group-NEDRA Conference Scholarship recipients were recognized at the 24th Annual Conference 
  
• March 2011: Connecticut Research Director’s Forum at Wesleyan University
• April 2011: Workshop with AFP Northern New England, An Introduction to Prospect Research at Dartmouth College
• May 2011: 24th Annual Conference Transforming Information into Intelligence Radisson Hotel (Boston, MA)
• May 2011: The 10th Ann Castle Award was presented to Marianne Pelletier
• May 2011: The Inaugural Helen Brown Group-NEDRA Conference Scholarships were awarded to Catherine Boothby & Mary Kelly
• Slate of 2011-2012 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Amy Minton (President); Amber Countis (Vice President); Tara McMullen (Secretary); Bruce Berg (Treasurer); Amy Begg; Cheryl Cerny; Nancy Faughnan; Barbara Moore; Sarah Ruberti; Marlisa Simonson; Melissa Bank Stepno; David Sterling

• September 2011: Research Director’s Forum at Harvard University
• September 2011: RING on “Proactive Research” at Tufts University
• October 2011: Research Basics Boot Camp at City Year Boston
• October 2011: Research Basics Boot Camp at Central Connecticut State University
• October 2011: Seminar “Mineral, Air and Water Rights” presented by Jeffrey Ouellette at Northeastern University
• November 2011: Seminar “Joys of Compounding” presented by Chris Begg at Harvard University
• November 2011: RING on Small Shops at the Boston Ballet
• December 2011: RING on Corporations and Foundations at Yale University

2012

• March 2012: Share Training REPLAY: Golden BRICs: Researching Prospects in Brazil, Russia, India & China
• March 2012: RING: Parent Programs & Research at Milton Academy
• March 2012: RING: Parent Programs & Research at Miss Porter’s School
• March 2012: An Introduction to Prospect Research Program presented in Partnership with AFP Northern New England at University of New England
• March 2012: Research Directors Forum at The UCONN Foundation
• April 2012: 25th Annual Conference at Hotel Marlow (Cambridge, MA)
• April 2012: The 11th Ann Castle Award was presented to Joe Donnelly
• April 2012: The Helen Brown Group-NEDRA Conference Scholarship was awarded to Elizabeth Moyer
• Slate of 2012-2013 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Amber Countis (President); Tara McMullen (Vice President); Suzy Campos (Secretary); Bruce Berg (Treasurer); Amy Begg; Anne Brownlee; James Cheng; Cheryl Cerny; Lisa Foster; Melissa Bank Stepno; Ian T. Wells

• June 2012: Living in the Gray Area: Understanding Wealth that Isn’t’ Black and White at Harvard Business School
• October 2012: The Frugal Researcher at Amherst College
• October 2012: Research Basics Bootcamp at Northeastern University
• October 2012: Development Analytics 101 at Massachusetts General Hospital
• October 2012: Donor Screening: How To Do It On A Budget at The Delaney House
• November 2012: RING: Small Shop Research at Boston Ballet
• November 2012: Director Forum at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• November 2012: Research Basics Bootcamp at University of New England
• December 2012: Is the Financial Crisis Over? A Survey of Our Economy and Our Prospects at Yale University
• December 2012: RING: Large Research Shops at Harvard University
• December 2012: RING: The Financial Services Industry at Combined Jewish Philanthropies

2013

• January 2013: RING: Organizational Potluck – Making the Most of International Resources at Wesleyan University
• February 2013: RING: Parents as Prospects – Researching Strategies for Parents at Pingree School
• March 2013: RING: Planned Giving & Research at Clark University
• March 2013: The Road Ahead: Campaign Planning and Prospect Research at Combined Jewish Philanthropies
• March 2013: RING: Parents as Prospects at University of New Haven
• April 2013: 26th Annual Conference Broadening Perspectives at Hotel Marlowe (Cambridge, MA)
• April 2013: The 12th Ann Castle Award was presented to Sarah Fernandez
• Slate of 2013-2014 Board Members: Amy Begg; Bruce Berg; Anne Brownlee; Suzy Campos; James Cheng; Sarah Cook; Amber Countis; Lisa Foster; Tara McMullen; Laura Parshall; Mary Taddia; Tina Tong; Ian T. Wells

• June 2013: Development Analytics 101 at Tufts University
• July 2013: RING: Setting the Table – Research’s Role at Prospect Review Meetings at The Hotchkiss School
• July 2013: Development Analytics 102 at Boston College
• September 2013: Research Basics Bootcamp at Wesleyan University
• October 2013: Research Basics Bootcamp at Northeastern University
• November 2013: RING: Discover The Golden Egg - How to Find Elusive International Prospects at Northeastern University
• December 2013: RING: The Silmarillion: An (Un)expected Journey of a Development Analytics Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

2014

• The Heather Reisz Memorial Scholarship (HRMS) was established
• The inaugural HRMS recipients were recognized at the 27th Annual NEDRA Conference 
  
• February 2014: RING: Prospect ID Tips & Tricks at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• March 2014: Research Basics Bootcamp at Revere Hotel
• March 2014: 27th Annual Conference Strategies for Success at Revere Hotel (Boston, MA)
• March 2014: The 13th Ann Castle Award was presented to Heather Reisz
• March 2014: The Helen Brown Group-NEDRA Conference Scholarship was awarded to Denise Dabney
• March 2014: The inaugural Heather Reisz Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Laura Koo & Monique Miller
• Slate of 2014-2015 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Suzy Campos (President); Tara McMullen (Vice President); Lisa Foster (Secretary); Bruce Berg (Treasurer); Amy Begg; Sarah Benson; Anne Brownlee; James Cheng; Amber Countis; Laura Parshall; Mary Taddia; Tina Tong; Ian T. Wells 

• April 2014: RING: Hiding in Plain Sight – Markers of Philanthropy at Massachusetts General Hospital
• May 2014: Panel – Inside Chinese Philanthropy at Tufts University
• September 2014: RING: APRA Conference Recap Roundtables at Amherst Brewing Company
• September 2014: Residential Real Estate Review at Combined Jewish Philanthropies
• October 2014: Research Basics Bootcamp at Tufts University
• November 2014: VINO at The Red Hat (Boston, MA)
• November 2014: Research Basics Bootcamp at Smith College
• December 2014: Webinar: Pipeline Management During a Campaign (Online)

2015

• February 2015: RING: Corporate and Foundation Research at Tufts University
• March 2015: RING: Strategies for Re-energizing Prospect Portfolios at Wethersfield Public Library
• April 2015: Research Basics Bootcamp at Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel
• April 2015: 28th Annual Conference Fundraising Intelligence at Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel (Portsmouth, NH)
• April 2015: The 14th Ann Castle Award was presented to Nancy Faughnan
• April 2015: The Helen Brown Group-NEDRA Conference Scholarship was awarded to Pam Abraham
• April 2015: The Heather Reisz Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Stephanie Cavagnuolo & Becca Elwin
• Slate of 2015-2016 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Suzy Campos (President); Tara McMullen (Vice President); Ian T. Wells (Secretary); Lisa Foster (Treasurer); Erin Ambrose Dupuis; Amy Begg; Sarah Benson; James Cheng; Tim Enman; Susan Grivno; Laura Parshall; Mary Taddia; Stacey Vial MacDonnell

• May 2015: RING: May Day! What’s Next for Prep School Research & Fundraising? At Choate Rosemary Hall
• May 2015: RING: Commercial Real Estate at Harvard University
• June 2015: Webinar: Tips & Practices on Corporate Research (Online)
• September 2015: RING: A Roundtable Discussion – Board Nomination & Governance Pipelines at Museum of Science
• September 2015: RING: Social Media at Boston Children’s Hospital Trust
• September 2015: Creating a Powerful Public Presence: A Workshop for Researchers Who Need Training in Speaking at MIT Sloan School of Management
• October 2015: Webinar: Researching Prospects in India with Beth Bandy (Online)
• October 2015: Portfolio Management: From Adequate to Amazing at Harvard Business School
• November 2015: Research Basics Bootcamp at Harvard Business School
• December 2015: VINO at Meadhall (Cambridge, MA)

2016

• January 2016: RING: Keeping Up with a Growing Office: New Tools, New Leads, New Staff at Plan International (Warwick, RI)
• March 2016: Cooperation Makes it Happen: NEDRA Panel Discussion at Assumption College
• April 2016 Research Basics Bootcamp at Portsmouth Harborside Hotel
• April 2016: 29th Annual Conference at Portsmouth Harborside Hotel (Portsmouth, NH)
• April 2016: The 15th Ann Castle Award was presented to Dina Zelleke
• April 2016: The Helen Brown Group-NEDRA Conference Scholarship was awarded to Emily Burke
• April 2016: The Heather Reisz Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Annalise Baird & Laura Gebhart
• Slate of 2016-2017 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Amy Begg (President); Ian T. Wells (Vice President); Susan Grivno (Secretary); Lisa Foster (Treasurer); Erin Ambrose Dupuis; Suzy Campos;  James Cheng; Tim Enman; William Gotfredson; Laura Parshall; Stacey Vial MacDonnell; Tim Wilson

• April 2016: Networking Lunch in Western Mass at Mi Tierra Mexican Restaurant (Hadley, MA)
• May 2016: Directors Round Table at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• June 2016: VINO at Tiger Mama (Boston, MA)
• At the Annual Board Retreat the decision was made to re-brand RINGs as Think Tanks
• October 2016: Estimating Private Company Value at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• November 2016: Unconscious Bias with Harvard University’s Christopher Dial at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• November 2016: VINO at Grafton Street Pub & Grill (Cambridge, MA)
• November 2016: Think Tank: Prospect Management at Harvard University
• December 2016: Research Basics Bootcamp at Northeastern University

2017

• NEDRA Celebrates its 30th Anniversary with Celebrations throughout New England
• • January 2017: Celebrating 30 Years of NEDRA in Rhode Island at Ogie’s Trailer Park (Providence, RI)
  • January 2017: Celebrating 30 Years of NEDRA in Connecticut at Engine Room (Mystic, CT)
  • February 2017:Celebrating 30 Years of NEDRA in Western Mass at Bertucci’s Restaurant (Amherst, MA)
  • March 2017: Celebrating 30 Years of NEDRA in Greater Boston at Cambridge Brewing Company (Cambridge, MA)
  • March 2017: Celebrating 30 Years of NEDRA in Maine at Salvage BBQ (Portland, ME)
  • April 2017: Celebrating 30 Years of NEDRA in New Hampshire at Moxy (Portsmouth, NH)
• January 2017: Think Tank: Resource Refresh at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• February 2017: Think Tank: International Research at Boston Children’s Hospital Trust
• March 2017: Think Tank: Data Analytics Show & Tell at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• March 2017: Directors Round Table at Northeastern University
• April 2017: Research Basics Bootcamp at Portsmouth Harborside Hotel
• April 2017: 30th Annual Conference at Portsmouth Harborside Hotel (Portsmouth, NH)
• As the most long-standing NEDRA Member in attendance, Marianne Pelletier is invited to join NEDRA President, Amy Begg, to make the ceremonial first cut of NEDRA’s 30th Birthday Cake
  
• April 2017: The 16th Ann Castle Award was presented to Jill Meister
• April 2017: The Helen Brown Group-NEDRA Conference Scholarship was awarded to Varounny Chanthasiri
• April 2017: The Heather Reisz Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Sam Kjellberg & Nina Emmi
• Slate of 2017-2018 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Amy Begg (President); Ian T. Wells (Vice President); Erin Ambrose Dupuis (Secretary); Lisa Foster (Treasurer); Suzy Campos; James Cheng; Bill Gotfredson; Jenn Grasso; Susan Grivno; Renana Kehoe; Pamela McCarthy; Laura Parshall; Ginny Santamaria; Tim Wilson

• June 2017: Think Tank: Prospect Management at Mount Holyoke College
• July 2017: Lunch VINO: NEDRA Networking in Maine at Bowdoin College
• August 2017: Research Basics Bootcamp at Bowdoin College
• September 2017: International Research: United Kingdom at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• September 2017: VINO: NEDRA Networking in Connecticut at Bar (New Haven, CT)
• October 2017: Prospect Management Panel at UMass Medical School
• October 2017: Think Tank: Healthcare at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• November 2017: Residential Real Estate Review at Northeastern University
• November 2017: Research Basics Bootcamp at Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel

2018

• January 2018: The Road Ahead: Campaign Planning and Prospect Development at Salem State University
• January 2018: Corporate and Foundation Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• January 2018: Understanding and Utilizing SEC Filings at Boston Children’s Hospital Trust
• Winter 2018: NEDRA Website (www.nedra.org) re-design launched
• February 2018: Think Tank: Small Shop Prospect Research & Management at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School
• February 2018: Think Tank: Large Shop Prospect Research & Management at MIT Sloan School of Management
• February 2018: Charitable Powerhouses: A Fundraising Approach to Donors from Private Equity, Venture Capital, Hedge Funds and Family Offices at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• March 2018: International Research: Asia at Peabody Essex Museum
• March 2018: Charitable Powerhouses: A Fundraising Approach to Donors from Private Equity, Venture Capital, Hedge Funds and Family Offices at Yale University
• March 2018: Two Sides of the Coin: Hiring & Getting Hired at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• March 2018: Think Tank: Small Shop Prospect Research & Management at The Governor’s Academy
• March 2018: Building a Major Gift Model using Microsoft Excel at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• April 2018: Think Tank: Prospect Management and Capacity Ratings at Keene State College
• April 2018: Directors Round Table at Northeastern University
• April 2018: NEDRA Night Out at Grafton Street Pub & Grill in Cambridge, MA
• April 2018: Optimizing your Data Science Workflow in R at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• April 2018: Research Basics Bootcamp at Hotel Viking
• April 2018: Fundraising Data Science Summit at Hotel Viking
• April 2018: 31st Annual Conference at Hotel Viking (Newport, RI)
• April 2018: The 17tth Ann Castle Award was presented to David Sterling
• April 2018: The Helen Brown Group-NEDRA Conference Scholarship was awarded to Keith Aron
• April 2018: The Heather Reisz Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Darthula Matthews & Charlotte Redgate Myers
• Slate of 2018-2019 Board Members & Officers Presented at Annual Business Meeting: Susan Grivno (President); Bill Gotfredson (Vice President); Jenn Grasso (Secretary); Pamela McCarthy (Treasurer); Erin Ambrose Dupuis; Kristen Cocce; Richard Horne; Renana Kehoe; Claire Moitra; Diane Parsons; Elana Pierkowski; Ginny Santamaria

• May 2018: Affinity Scores & Donor Engagement at Tufts University
• June 2018: Think Tank: Resource Refresh at UMass Medical School
• June 2018: NEDRA Networking Lunch in Western MA at Mi Tierra Restaurant (Hadley, MA)
• June 2018: Understanding and Utilizing SEC Filings at Maine Medical Center

If you work in the education field, every year brings a new batch of parents of incoming students--that is to say, a new batch of prospects. In this article from the January 2012 NEDRA News Blog, Marlisa Simonson outlines how to start or improve a parent research program at your institution.

Parent Research 101, by Marlisa Simonson

At the Annual Business Meeting at the conference last month, we were happy to announce the new members and officers of the NEDRA Board of Directors, who will be starting their duties on July 1. While those of us who will be leaving the board will miss being a part of such a great team, we know it will be in excellent hands. Here is the lineup of the board for next year, starting July 1:

Officers:

Susan Grivno, University of New Hampshire, President
Bill Gotfredson, Boston Children's Hospital Trust, Vice President

Jenn Grasso, The Trust for Public Land, Secretary

Pamela McCarthy, Northeastern University, Treasurer

Continuing Directors:

Erin Dupuis, Merrimack College

Renana Greenberg Kehoe, Harvard Business School

Ginny Santamaria, American Cancer Society

New Directors:

Kristen Cocce, Lahey Health

Richard C. Horne V, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Claire Moitra, Rhode Island School of Design

Diane Parsons, The Governor's Academy

Elana Pierkowski, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Departing board members are Amy Begg, Ian Wells, Lisa Foster, James Cheng, Suzy Campos, and (yours truly) Laura Parshall.

All board members, current and future, met on May 8 for the new board member orientation, during which time we shared information on the work of our various committees, and got to know the people who will be joining the board. Also discussed were the conference that had so recently taken place and our upcoming programming. Read on for more information.

The conference seems like it just happened the other day. It's hard to believe it's already a month ago! Registration for the conference was sold out this year. It's great to know that there are so many people out there who value the conference as an opportunity for professional development, and whose organizations support their attendance! There were so many wonderful educational sessions this year: some attendees learned how to value private companies, some learned to create graphs, and some learned how to teach others to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. (It made sense in the context of the session, really!) There were also lots of chances for networking, from spontaneous conversations that started in the hallways between sessions to the networking reception sponsored by iWave. We welcomed Helen Brown Group-NEDRA Conference Scholarship recipient Keith Aron, and Heather Reisz Memorial Scholarship recipients Darthula Matthews and Charlotte Redgate Myers. We congratulated Ann Castle Award recipient David Sterling, who began his career in prospect research the same year NEDRA was founded. And of course, we sang our hearts out at karaoke at #NEDRAafterdark, sponsored by DonorSearch. In case you missed it, next year's conference will be in Portland, ME. It's not too early to start thinking about how you can help us make it even better than this year's!

In  this article, Amy Begg, NEDRA's president (for a little while longer, at least!) and Managing Director of Prospect Management at Harvard University shares with us a new way to use two very familiar tools: Zillow and Excel. Embedded links in the article will take you to the resources you need to do this bit of property value magic.

Prospecting Using the Zillow Macro

by Amy Begg

Yes, yes, Zillow isn’t perfect (but it is a lot of fun), and in densely populated cities it doesn’t work well. But what if you could screen a list of addresses in a moment to help you prioritize where you start? And yes, of course, this is only one data point and doesn’t replace a wealth screening, but what if you could add these values to filter your work?

Below is a step-by-step guide to help you implement this macro into Excel. (Courtesy of Nhu Huynh, Assistant Director of Prospect Management at Harvard University)

Creating Zillow accounts: 

Zillow ID

You need to create a Zillow user account. 

• https://www.zillow.com/user/Register.htm

ZSWID

Then you need to create a Zillow Web Services (ZWSID) ID to make your API calls: 

• https://www.zillow.com/webservice/Registration.htm 

• Each ZWSID can run up to 1,000 addresses per day; thus, each person should create their own ZWSID as the ID is embedded in the VBA macro code in Excel.

• Again, you’ll need to submit a “URL” or website in order to obtain a ZWSID. 

Creating the Excel macro: 

Macro

• After you open the document, you have to confirm that you want to “enable” the macro. 

Updating macro with your ZWSID

• Once you obtain your ZWSID, you need to enter it in the macro. 

• To update the macro, click on View ->Macro ->View Macro ->Edit. 

• See below:

Formatting Excel

• In the Excel document, the street address along with the apartment or unit number (for example 8 Apple Court Apt 3) needs to be in one cell and not split between two cells or columns. 

• Thus, you need to need to combine the cells' content using either a simple “&” formula or “concatenate” formula.

Running the macro

• Once you have the addresses in the macro formatted properly, go to 

View ->Macro ->click on “ZillowXML”->then Run. The macro should automatically run. It will skip over addresses it cannot find. 

Excel macro: 

Other

• Some addresses such as PO Box addresses or building names (i.e., "Chrysler Building”) do not work in the macro. Only actual street addresses work. 

• With this macro you can only run 1000 addresses a day and no more. 

• The macro starts from row 3; accordingly, if you run the macro until row 500, add an additional 400 rows of addresses, the macro will run from the row 3. 

Have fun!

Thanks to all who attended the May 24 program on Affinity Scores and Donor Engagement! Even though summer is traditionally a quieter time for NEDRA programming, we do have some educational opportunities on the horizon. On June 5, UMass Medical School in Shrewsbury, MA will be hosting a Resource Refresh Think Tank. Come prepared with resources you've found useful that your fellow NEDRA members might not be aware of, and be ready to learn about a whole lot more. This is a great opportunity to really bring back something that you can put to use in your everyday work! Next, on June 22, Bill Gotfredson will be reprising his presentation on Understanding and Utilizing SEC Filings. If you need some help navigating the tricky language and microscopic footnotes on these important documents but you missed this presentation the first time around, here's your chance to catch it. It will be held at Maine Medical Center in Portland, ME. (Pro tip: this is also a great chance to scope out Portland in advance of next year's conference!) For more information or to register for these programs, visit the Upcoming Programs page.

As you're all probably aware, the European Union's General Data Privacy Regulations (GDPR) went into effect last week. While most of our organizations are likely making some changes to be sure to comply with these regulations, it doesn't mean we're going to completely give up on researching European prospects in most cases! In this article from the Spring 2005 NEDRA News, Dieter Hernegger talks about some of the information you might be able to find on European prospects--and what just isn't available no matter where you look.

Researching Funds in Europe.pdf

The NEDRA board had its monthly operations call on Tuesday, April 10. Much of it, as you might expect, was spent discussing the upcoming conference. We also discussed board elections (which have now taken place, with results to be announced at the conference) and upcoming programming. Read on for more information!