KAP 2025-2026 - Senior Prospect Research Analyst - Cato Institute

The Koch Associate Program (KAP) is a career accelerator for early to mid-career professionals with a drive to tackle our country’s most pressing challenges in more effective, principled ways. KAP equips associates with the tools, mindsets, and community to succeed as social entrepreneurs—individuals excited to find new and better ways to break barriers and eliminate injustice. Associates spend one day each week engaging in experiential learning with Stand Together Fellowships and work at one of our many partner organizations the rest of the week. Our curriculum is designed to supercharge your development and equip you for long-term success as you seek to have an impact on the problems that prevent people from realizing their potential.  

Description 

The Cato Institute seeks an ambitious, resourceful, and detail-oriented candidate to leverage data, provide research, and communicate new opportunities with current and potential donors to colleagues. The successful candidate will broaden our partnerships and inform effective engagement strategies to the Development team, ultimately enhancing the Institute's efforts to build enduring relationships with our community and increase philanthropic support as Cato seeks to grow our influence among the public policy community and the interested public. 

The ideal candidate will also have a deep understanding of Cato's mission and the philanthropic priorities of individuals interested in libertarian ideas. The ideal candidate will also be committed to professional development as part of a growing Development team. 

The projected salary range for this role is $65,000 - $80,000 per year.

Compensation is based on the successful candidate's educational background, experience, and skills.

About Cato 

The Cato Institute is a public policy research organization—a think tank—dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace. Its scholars and analysts conduct independent, nonpartisan research on a wide range of policy issues.  

Founded in 1977, Cato owes its name to Cato’s Letters, a series of essays published in 18th-century England that presented a vision of a society free from excessive government power. Those essays inspired the architects of the American Revolution. And the simple, timeless principles of that revolution—individual liberty, limited government, and free markets—turn out to be even more powerful in today’s world of global markets and unprecedented access to information than Jefferson or Madison could have imagined. Social and economic freedom is not just the best policy for a free people, it is the indispensable framework for the future. 

The Cato Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

• Fulfill a subject-matter expert role on Cato's Development Team and elevate new fundraising opportunities to the Development team, including gift officers, as well as staff across communications, education, executive, outreach, and policy functions. 
• Gather, assemble, and analyze complex information to assess net worth, giving capacity, and philanthropic interests and tendencies.
• Extract and record key information that informs relationship management strategies, such as the moves management practices identified in The Artful Journey. 
• Produce timely and in-depth research on individuals or organizations using a wide range of sources, including paid-for databases and public records.
• Proactively and independently identify sources of support to develop a sufficient pool of prospects for organization-wide fundraising initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Associate Director for Prospect Research and the Development team to ensure research is available, updated, and used.
• Collaborate with the Associate Director for Prospect Research to prioritize research requests and tasks.
• Monitor news and publicly available information ( e.g., press releases). 
• Maintain strong knowledge of the Cato Institute's programs, projects, and personnel.
• Assist the Associate Director of Prospect Research and Development staff with various data tasks, including (but not limited to) Sponsor coding, tracking, status monitoring, reporting, and the review of other dynamic information.
• Maintain proficiency with standard prospect research and data management resources (electronic, print, and other) and stay updated on new resources, trends, and technologies through conferences and other professional development opportunities.
• Maintain confidentiality by adhering to ethical and confidentiality guidelines.
• Perform additional duties and assist with special projects.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• 3-5 years of advancement research, development, fundraising, and/or market research experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• A demonstrated appreciation for and commitment to Cato’s mission and principles, and the skills to communicate these ideals

• Competencies in applied market research, marketing and/or financial analysis, library science, journalism, economics, business communications, and/or similar fields considered. 
• Strong sense of curiosity and excellent attention to detail. 
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral. 
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a fast-paced team environment, exhibiting self-reliance, dependability, trustworthiness, and listening skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities, meeting challenging and evolving deadlines.
• High degree of professionalism, ethical sensitivity, confidentiality, and discretion; proven ability to apply good judgment and responsible decision-making. 

• Experience with Salesforce or other CRM systems, iWave, LexisNexis for Development Professionals, FoundationSearch, Hubspot, and Pardot.
• Experience with federal government databases, namely SEC EDGAR and SEC IAPD
• Understanding of and competency with the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) Basic and Advanced Skill Sets as written in the APRA Body of Knowledge. 
• Proven library, research, and analytical techniques, emphasizing the ability to gather, evaluate, and synthesize complex data from various sources and present information in a clear and cohesive manner. 

About Stand Together Fellowships 

Learn more about Stand Together Fellowships.

Stand Together Fellowships believes that diversity in experiences, perspectives, knowledge and ideas fuels creativity, broadens knowledge, and helps drive success. Our admissions office treats all program participants and applicants with honesty, dignity, respect and sensitivity. We welcome all qualified applicants regardless of color, race, religion, religious creed, sex, gender or gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, ancestry, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy (including medical needs which may arise from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), military and veteran status, genetic information, marital or familial status, political affiliation, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.