Apra PA's Book Recommendations

Apra PA compiled a reading list for prospect development professionals.

Check out these books from your local library or bookstore!

See something missing? Let us know: [email protected].

General Prospect Development

  • A Kaleidoscope of Prospect Development: The Shapes and Shades of Major Donor Prospecting by Bobbie J. Strand 

  • Managing Major Gift Fundraisers: A Contrarian's Guide by David Lively

  • Precision Prospect Development: How to Get a Seat at the Table and be an Influencer by Nathan Fay 

  • The Principal Gift Checklist: How to Cultivate and De-risk Gifts of $5 Million to $100 Million by Ben Porter

 Prospect Research

  • Getting Started in Prospect Research: What You Need to Know to Find Who You Need to Find by Meredith Hancks 

  • Prospect Research: A How To Guide by Bobbie J. Strand, Michael D. Brown, and Susan Hunt 

  • Prospect Research: A Primer for Growing Nonprofits by Celia Hogan 

  • Prospect Research in Canada: An Essential Guide for Researchers and Fundraisers edited by Tracey CHurch and Liz Rejman 

  • Prospect Research is a Verb: Fundraising is the Subject by Cara Rosson and Meredith Hancks 

  • Prospect Research for Fundraisers: The Essential Handbook by Helen Brown and Jennifer Filla 

  • Prospect Research Fundamentals: Proven Methods to Help Charities Realize More Major Gifts edited by Elizabeth Dollhopf-Brown 

Data / Analytics

  • Building your Analytics Shop: A Workboko for Nonprofits by Marianne Pelletier

  • Data Driven Nonprofits by Steve MacLaughlin 

  • Data Science for Fundraising by Ashutosh R. Nandeshwar and Rodger Devine

  • Fundraising Analytics by Joshua Birkholz 

  • Naked Statistics by Charles Wheelan

  • Practical Statistics for Data Scientists by Peter Bruce and Andrew Bruce

  • R for Data Science: Import, Tidy, Transform, Visualize, and Model Data by Garrett Grolemund and Hadley Wickham

  • Score by Kevin MacDonell

DEI

  • Allies and Advocates: Creating an Inclusive and Equitable Culture by Amber Cabral 

  • Birds of All Feathers: Doing Diversity and Inclusion Right by Michael Bach 

  • Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom Love edited by Nneka Allen, Camila Vital Nunes Pereira, and Nicole Salmon 

  • Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance by Edgar Villanueva 

  • Did That Just Happen?!: Beyond “Diversity” - Creating Sustainable and Inclusive Organizations by Stephanie Pinder - Amaker and Lauren Wadsworth 

  • From Generosity to Justice: A New Gospel of Wealth by Darren Walker

  • Funding Feminism: Monied Women, Philanthropy, and the Women’s Movement, 1870-1967 by Joan Marie Johnson 

  • Giving to Help, Helping to Give: The Context and Politics of African Philanthropy edited by Tada Aina and Bhekinkosi Moyo 

  • Hiring for Diversity: the Guide to Building an Inclusive and Equitable Organization by Arthur Woods and Susanna Tharakan 

  • How to Listen and How to be Heard: Inclusive Conversations at Work by Alissa Carpenter

  • It’s Not Just About the Donor: The Ultimate (Management) Guide to Major Gift Success by Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels 

  • Madam C.J. Walker’s Gospel of Giving: Black Women’s Philanthropy During Jim Crow by Tyrone McKinely Freeman 

  • Just Giving: Why Philanthropy is Failing Democracy and How It Can Do Better by Rob Reich 

  • Unicorns Unite: How Nonprofits and Foundations Can Build EPIC Partnerships by Jessamyn Shams-Lau, Jane Leu, and Vu Le 

Other Fundraising

  • Advancement Services: Enhancing Fundraising Success by John Taylor 

  • Advising Philanthropists: Principles and Practice by Emma Beeston and Beth Breeze

  • BeneFactors: Why Some Fundraising Professionals Always Succeed by Joshua M. Berkholz and Amy S. Lampi

  • Bitcoin and the Future of Fundraising by Anne Connolly and Jason Shim

  • Building Smart Nonprofits: A Roadmap for Mission Success by David O’Brien and Matthew Craig 

  • Effective Fundraising: The Trustee’s Role and Beyond by F. Warren McFarlan 

  • For-Profit Philanthropy: Elite Power and the Threat of Limited Liability Companies, Donor-Advised Funds, and Strategic Corporate Giving by Dana Brakman Reiser and Steven A. Dean

  • Get That Money, Honey!: The No-Bulls*t Guide to Raising More Money for Your Nonprofit by Rhea Wong

  • Giving Done Right: Effective Philanthropy and Making Every Dollar Count by Phil Buchanana and Darren Walker 

  • Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations: Policies and Practices by John T. Zietlow 

  • Financial Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards by Joan Payne 

  • Modern Campaign Planning: Insights & Impact by BWF (available by request here)

  • No Such Thing as a Free Gift: The Gates Foundation and the Price of Philanthropy by Linsey McGoey 

  • The Nonprofit Marketing Guide: High-Impact, Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your Good Cause by Kivi Leroux Miller 

  • Philanthropy Revolution: How to Inspire Donors, Build Relationships, and Make a Difference by Lisa Greer and Larissa Kostoff 

  • Proposal Planning and Writing by Jeremy Miner and Lynn Miner 

  • The Generosity Crisis by Brian Crimmins, Nathan Chappell and Michael Ashley

  • The Future of Fundraising by Jim Langley

  • The Smart Nonprofit: Staying Human-Centered in an Automated World by Beth Kanter and Allison Fine

  • The Time for Endowment Building is Now: Why and How to Secure Your Organization’s Future by Deborah Kaplan Polivy 

  • Transitioning to Virtual and Hybrid Events: How to Create, Adapt, and Market an Engaging Online Experience by Ben Chodor and Gabriella Cyranski 

Leadership and Management

  • The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni 

  • The Forgotten Foundations of Fundraising: Practical Advice and Contrarian Wisdom for Nonprofit Leaders by Jeremy Beer 

  • Joan Garry’s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership: Because the World is Counting on You by Joan Garry

  • Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

  • The Leader's Guide to Unconscious Bias: How to Reframe Bias, Cultivate Connection, and Create High-Performing Teams by Pamela Fuller, Mark Murphy, and Anne Chow 

  • Lessons for Nonprofit and Start-Up Leaders: Tales from a Reluctant CEO by Maxine Harris 

  • Managing Leadership Transition for Nonprofits: Passing the Torch to Sustain Organizational Excellence by Barry Dym, Susan Egmont, and Laura Watkins 

  • Nonprofit Excellence: a Handbook for Grantmaking and Nonprofit Leadership Skills by Louis Beccaria and Constance Carter

  • Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals by Darian Rodriguez Heyman and Laila Brenner 

  • Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott

  • Radical Candor: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean by Kim Scott

Other

  • Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia 

Wealth and Economics

  • Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty

  • Capital Without Borders: Wealth Managers and the One Percent by Brook Harrington

  • The Wealth Hoarders: How Billionaires Spend Millions to Hide Trillions by Chuck Collins

  • The Hidden Wealth of Nations by Gabriel Zucman

  • The Triumph of Injustice: How the Rich Dodge Taxes by Gabriel Zucman

Thank you to our 2026 Sponsors!

 Facebook         LinkedIn