Home > About

About

Christina Pulawski is an independent consultant specializing in development research, prospect management and information flow for fund raising. Previously, she was Director of Development and Donor Services at Loyola University Chicago, overseeing the areas of research, prospect management, data management, systems, and stewardship. Prior to joining Loyola, she was Director of Development Research at Northwestern University from 1994-2003, which earned “top research shop” distinction under her direction. A Chicago native, Christina earned a BA in Political Science from Northwestern and a JD from the University of Illinois. She is admitted to practice in Illinois and practiced in the fields of real estate and litigation before taking the opportunity to explore development in 1991.

 

Christina completed a six-year term on the board of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA), serving as Vice President for Education and Professional Development and Secretary-Treasurer. She chaired APRA's International Conferences in 1999, 2001 and 2002, developed APRA’s Boot Camp and other symposia, and received the organization’s Distinguished Service Award in 2005. She has also served as President of APRA's Illinois Chapter. She co-chaired CASE's 1999 and 2000 Development Researcher conferences, earned CASE “faculty star” distinction several times, and has frequently published, presented, and consulted on the field of prospect research and advancement services for APRA, CASE, Indiana University Center on Philanthropy, AFP, other public and private organizations and non-profit education and management programs.

Organizations

Association of Advancement Services Professionals

Founding Member

Vice President and Recording Secretary (2006- )

 

Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement - Illinois chapter
Member (since 1995)
President (1996-97); Director

Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement - International
Member (since 1995)
Director (since 1997)
Secretary (1997-98)
Second Vice President/Conference Chair (1998-99)
Vice President - Membership Services (1999-2000)
Vice President - Education and Professional Development/Conference Chair (2000-2002)
Secretary/Treasurer (2002-2003)

Publications and Presentations

Academic Impressions – Beyond Prospect Research: Driving Development with Data Conference

• “Tracking More Than Prospects – Utilizing Data to Inform Management Decisions – May 2005

APRA Connections

• “Ethical Dilemmas: Some Case Studies” - Spring 1996
• “Research Staffing Considerations in a Campaign” - Summer 1996
• “A View from the Front Lines: Research in a Campaign from a Development Officer’s Perspective” - Summer 1996
• “Through the Looking Glass” - Winter 1997
• "Can We Talk? Using the APRA Skills Sets for Staff Evaluations" - Spring 2000 (co-writer)
• "From the Board" - Spring 2002
• Conference Highlights – Winter 2003-04 (editor)
• “Life During Campaigns: Getting Ahead of the Curve, Staying Away from Chaos” – Fall 2006 (co-writer)

APRA Boot Camp/Symposium for New Researchers

• Two-day, six-session basic research program (designed and taught all sessions) – 2001, 2002, 2003

APRA Annual Conference

• “The Great Barrier Reef - Foundation Research” - August 1996
• ”Managing Politics in the Research Office" (co-presenter) - August 1998
• "Prospect Management" (co-presenter) - August 1999
• "Using the APRA Skills Set as an Evaluation Tool" (co-presenter) - August 1999
• "Management Steps To Take in Making Your Shop Proactive" - August 2001
• “Open Forum for Advanced Researchers” – August 2002
• “Developing Goals, Objectives, and Vision” – August 2003
• “Peer Screening” - August 2003
• “Developing Operational Budgets and Plans” – August 2004
• “Investing in Campaign Success: Budgeting Resources to Support Campaign Operations” – August 2006
• “Using Data to Promote the Value of Research” – August 2006
• “Financial Analysis Workshop” – August 2006
• "Using Data to Promote the Value of Research Workshop" - July 2007

APRA Symposium for Advanced Researchers

• Two-day, nine-session program focusing on best practices, emerging technologies and comprehensive issues targeted to researchers with 3+ years of experience and directors and managers of research (designed and co-taught all sessions) – April 2006

APRA Virtual Seminar

• “Evaluating Wealth Indicators for Philanthropic Giving” – November 2004
• "Researching Corporate and Foundation Prospects" - March 2007

APRA-FL

• "Ready to Meet the Future of Research?" - April 2008

 

APRA-GA

• "Tracking Prospects Through the Development Cycle" - May 2008

APRA-MI

• "Tracking Prospects Through the Development Cycle" - October 2007
• "Researching Corporate and Foundation Prospects" - March 2007

APRA-MN

• Keynote address - October 2000
• "Research and Campaigns"- October 2000

APRA-MO/KAN

• "Ethics in Prospect Research" - October 2000

APRA-NW

• "Using Data to Promote the Value of Research" - May 2007

California Advancement Researchers Association (CARA)

• “Advocating for Your Research Shop” - June 2003

New England Development Researchers' Association (NEDRA)

• "Using Data to Promote the Value of Research" - April 2007
• Plenary session: "Raising the Profile of Research" - April 2007

Big XII Development Conference

• “Marketing Your Research Shop – Measuring and Communicating the Impact of Research on Advancement” – March 2005

CASE Annual Conference for Development Researchers

Faculty member – May 2004 (Campaign Research)

• Faculty firing line
• “Role of Research in a Campaign”

Faculty member – February 2003

• “Making the Case for Prospect Identification”
• “Electronic Screening” (co-presenter)
• “Ask the Experts: Real Life Q&A" (co-presenter)
• “Turning the Model Upside Down: Using Industry Specialization to Maximize Your Constituent Base”
• “Fund Raiser and Records and Reports: Best Prospect Management Practices for Large Shops” (co-presenter)
• “The Role of Researcher in Prospect Management: Cop or Informant?”

Co-chair - February 2000

• "Implementing a Peer Screening Program"
• "Administrative Issues for Large Shops" (co-presenter)
• "The Role of Research in All Phases of a Campaign" (co-presenter)
• "Managing Your Research Office" (co-presenter)

Co-chair - December 1998

• "Myths of Prospect Research" (panel)
• "Internet 1"
• "Proactive Research and Prospecting" (co-presenter)
• "Ethics in Prospect Research" (co-presenter)
• "Prospect Management" (co-presenter)
• "Tracking Productivity"

CASE Annual Assembly

• “Take the Information Superhighway to Your Principal Gifts Prospects” - July 1996 (co-presenter)

 

CASE Campaign Research - May 2008

Faculty member

• "Prospect Identification"
• "Campaign Reporting" - co-presenter

CASE Campaign Research - May 2007

Chair and co-presenter

• “Pre-Campaign Planning"
• "Active Campaign"
• "Post-Campaign"

CASE Conference for Corporate and Foundation Relations

• “Researching Corporate and Foundation Prospects and Donors” – June 2005 and June 2006

CASE District Five Assembly

• "Data Analysis: Forecasting versus Reporting" - December 1997
• "What's New in Research" (roundtable) - December 1998
• "Applying Proactive Research Within Fundraising Teams" (co-presenter) - December 1999
• "Growing and Prioritizing Your Prospect Pool" (co-presenter) - December 2001
• "Research Fundamentals (for non-researchers) - December 2007

CASE District Four Assembly

• "Building a Culture of Advancement Services" - April 2008

DePaul University Fund Raising Management Certificate Program

• "Principles & Best Practices in Prospect Research" - April 1999

Fraternity Foundations Seminar - Foundations and Technology

• "Using the Internet for Development Research" - May 2000

Great Plains APRA

• “Evaluating Wealth Indicators for Philanthropic Giving” – December 2004

Indiana University Center on Philanthropy Symposium

• "Effects of Technological Advances on the Ethics of Accessing Individual Information" - August 1999

Jesuit Advancement Administrators National Conference

• “Best Practices in Advancement Services” – June 2005

Mid-Atlantic Conference for Development Researchers

• Keynote address - June 2000
• "Privacy Schmivacy, What's All the Hubbub About?" - June 2000 (co-presenter)
• “Management Challenges – Strategic Planning, Goal Setting and ...?” – June 2003
• “Profile Essentials” – June 2004
• Plenary session: “It’s the End of the World as We Know It – (and How to Feel Fine)” – June 2005

 

NSFRE Midwest Conference

• "New Wealth: How to Find It and What to Do With It" - September 1997
• "Impact of Technology on Prospect Research" - October 2000

AFP (NSFRE) International

• "Online Research" - March 2001

AFP Chicago

• “The Road to the Ask: Relationships are Fundamental” – September 2004

AFP (NSFRE) Genesee Valley

• "Online Research" - October 2001

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

• “Building the Infranstructure for Success” – March 2004

New Directions for Philanthropic Fundraising

• "The Effects of Technological Advances on the Ethics of Gathering Information in Support of Fundraising" - Fall 1999

North Park University

• Marketing 5584 and SBMN 5774: Planned and Major Gift Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations – Summer 2003 (guest lecturer); Fall 2003 (guest lecturer); Summer 2004 (guest lecturer); Summer 2005 (guest lecturer); Spring 2006 (guest lecturer); Spring 2007 (guest lecturer); Spring 2008 (guest lecturer)
• Axelson Center Workshop - "Advanced Prospect Research" - October 2007

Northwest Suburban Philanthropy Center (Schaumburg Township District Library)

• Research and the Fund-Raising Process – October 2003

Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

• Marketing and Fundraising for Nonprofit Organizations – Winter 2002 (guest lecturer); Winter 2004 (guest lecturer); Winter 2005 (guest lecturer)
  Fundraising and Marketing III – Feb 2006 (guest lecturer); June 2007 (guest lecturer)

OPRN

• "Meeting the Future of Research" - May 2008
• "Setting Prospect Identification Goals" - May 2008
• “Prospect Identification” – May 2003
• “Prospect Management” – May 2003

Ronald McDonald House Charities International Conference

• “Finding and Understanding Your Major Donors” – June 2005

 

ShareTraining (Webinar)

• "The Strategic Research Office" - April 2007

South West Suburban Philanthropic Network

• "Research in the Development Process" - September 2006
• "Researching Corporate and Foundation Prospects" - March 2007

Women in Development

• "Researching on the Internet" - March 1998

Other

• Chapter in Auto Law - Matthew Bender, 1989 (co-written)