# Help with paid databases **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 27, 2017, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828 "2017-08-27T12:36:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828/1 "2017-08-27T12:36:00Z")
Hi Dopers. I need to do some donor research for a nonprofit. Google is helping but is laborious. I’m hoping for recommendations for paid databases, the kind skip tracers and other folks like that use, to streamline the process. Would you be so kind? Thanking you. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828/2 "2017-08-27T13:44:46Z")
Is there a state university near you? Many of them have access to these databases and will get you the information you need for free. If their library is open to the general public, i would stop by the research desk and ask. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828/3 "2017-08-27T14:19:12Z")
IME their licenses typically do not allow access to anyone who walks in. But sometimes you can set up some sort of research agreement with the school. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828/4 "2017-08-27T17:08:31Z")
Many local libraries will also give you access to databases. Ask around. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828/5 "2017-08-27T17:28:30Z")
> [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](#): > > Hi Dopers. I need to do some donor research for a nonprofit. Google is helping but is laborious. I’m hoping for recommendations for paid databases, the kind skip tracers and other folks like that use, to streamline the process. Would you be so kind? Thanking you. If I understand your meaning, you’re looking for databases that offer credit/criminal profiles. You won’t find that in libraries. I have no help. Just think others were misreading your request. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828/6 "2017-08-27T17:54:15Z")
I am not quite clear on your question and I am sure others are having problems parsing it as well. What exactly are you trying to accomplish? I assume it has something to do with personal background information but I am not quite sure. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828/7 "2017-08-27T17:58:15Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > If I understand your meaning, you’re looking for databases that offer credit/criminal profiles. You won’t find that in libraries. I have no help. Just think others were misreading your request. I thought the OP was looking for demographic databases, so they could do target marketing. ---
**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828/8 "2017-08-27T18:58:09Z")
More along the lines of what Sam said. I said skip tracers cuz I couldn’t think of another example. Picking up information about potential donors so calls can be more specific is what I’m looking for. Spokeo is one that is pushing itself but I don’t know anything about. Like that. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-paid-databases/794828/9 "2017-08-27T19:14:24Z")
> [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](#): > > More along the lines of what Sam said. I said skip tracers cuz I couldn’t think of another example. Picking up information about potential donors so calls can be more specific is what I’m looking for. Spokeo is one that is pushing itself but I don’t know anything about. Like that. Spokeo is reputable, easy to use and fairly affordable if that is the type of thing you are looking for. I have used it for family members looking at prospective tenants and had good luck with it. I would just go with Spokeo if that is all you are asking. They have various plans for different timescales for searches as do many of their competitors. I don’t know of a way to get full information from any truly free background search engines.