How to Choose a Donor Database
Itýs the Data, Stupid!
Why Your Organizationýs Database is Your Most Important Development Tool
We all know the story of Bill Clintonýs successful 1992 presidential campaign against George H.W. Bush. While, early on, Bush was considered virtually unbeatable, Clintonýs campaign chose to address an issue that Bush Sr. had ignored, and "It's the economy, stupid" became a catch phrase.
Nonprofit development is, by its very nature, data driven.
Yet it is rare that an organization gives more than lip service to its database. Databases are often selected solely on the basis of price. Staff is given little to no training on software. Entry policies are never established. No one is given ownership of the database ý or the organization qualifies the data manager as low-level clerical staff.
Just imagine the following scenarios:
Youýve just received a donation from a contributor who notes that she would like her gift to be allocated to a specific program ý and you have no record of the existence of this program.
Youýve located that ýperfect fitý foundation, spent three weeks crafting your proposal, sent it off with high hopes ý and later learned that the foundation HAD funded your organization three years ago, kept no record, and failed to follow through with a final report? (Did I mention that you are the third development director in three years and files are nonexistent?)
Youýve just fielded a call from an irate regular donor of thirty years, vowing to never contribute again because she has phoned three times in the past to have her deceased husbandýs name removed from the mailing list ý and she just received a newsletter in his name?
Youýre unable to track how well your Fall Appeal did ý because the proper coding was never created in the donor database to track it.
I have encountered these horror stories and, yes, worse, in a wide variety of nonprofit organizations.
An organizationýs best campaign will fall on deaf ears if donors have given up on your organization in frustration over poor record keeping.
And, while employee attrition probably plays a large role in the problem, itýs clear that selecting the appropriate database, thoroughly training staff and developing firm policies for data entry from the start, and recognizing the long-term value of maintaining the integrity of your data will alleviate many of these problems down the road.
From the smallest organization to the largest, written protocols should be established early on setting forth the most exhaustive details ý from your organizationýs salutation standards, to who signs thank you letters ý and regularly tweaked (and always put in writing).
What salutation style does your organization prefer? First name or Mr./Ms./Mrs.? Ampersand or ýandý? How do you handle deceased records? How are the grant files maintained? Do you use a separate database for tracking grants?
What is the turnaround time for gift acknowledgement? One week? Two? Who places thank you phone calls? When and why?
How are email addresses collected and entered?
When deciding upon a donor database, is price your only criteria (I sincerely hope not!)?
Once you have a database in place, is your organization recognizing the value of proper maintenance, including training and the hiring of a qualified database manager?
Raisers Edge can be the Cadillac of donor databases ý or an Edsel, depending on how many people have had their hands in it and how badly folks have mucked up the coding.
And Excel is not a database. It is a spreadsheet. If youýre keeping your records in Excel, youýre in for some problems.
Development is, by nature, data-driven. Pay attention to the details, now and on a consistent basis, and the capital campaign your organization runs ten years from now will function seamlessly.
Pamela is a consultant, assisting nonprofit organizations with proposal development, prospect research, annual appeal strategies and communication planning and is the author of ýFive Days to Foundation Grants.ý Check out her weekly blog, ýTowards Effective Nonprofit Writingý - http://writegrantproposals.blogspot.com/. Join her Facebook group, Tools for the One Person Development Office at http://www.facebook.com/group.php'gid=34636080193.
|
|
 |
 |
Free Website Development Tools For Beginners
As a newbie on the process of developing a website, you need to get yourself acquainted with free website development tools that can address your web-related problems
All of these tools will allow you to upgrade your basic website to a fully customized one at much lower prices
What To Look For In A Furniture Assembler
If you are trying to save a little money with your furniture purchase without sacrificing quality, you might be interested in flat pack furniture. In order to get the best results, however, you will need to hire a furniture assembler to put your furniture together. If you are in the market for a furniture assembler, you should keep these tips in mind in order to guarantee the best results.
NetSuite OneWorld Software Company Edition Powers Real-Time, Global Operations for Mid-Market Software Companies
NetSuite announces the release of NetSuite OneWorld Software Company Edition. Latest offering from leader in SaaS Industry-Specific Business Suites spans front- and back-office operations for multi-location software companies (http://www.netsuite.com/portal/industries/software.shtml).
Choose the best E-book compiler
Most people that have had contact with the Internet should have heard of ebooks and if you are an internet marketer then you should know what an Ebook compiler is. The problem with Ebook compilers is that they are so many out there, which makes it really difficult to figure out which one to choose. I'm going to try to make your job a little bit easier by giving you a few pointers on how to choose the best Ebook compiler. An ebook compiler is a software tool that changes a document into an .exe file. The ebook file thus created is a stand alone file and can be viewed without the aid of another software application such as Adobe Reader.
NTPL escalates Business of Software Development at Global Level
At NTPL, our Software Development service has passed the exhortation stage and altered over a period. We focus on quality, on time delivery and affordable Software Development Services. NTPL follows precise and proven process of defining, designing and developing software projects for clients.
Parature Named to Software Magazine?s 25th Annual Software 500
Software Magazine ranks Parature as one of the World?s Largest Software Companies.
What is Software Piracy?
There are several kinds of software piracy. The bottom line is when software is pirated, the developer does not receive compensation for their work.
Database Marketing: Secrets To Skyrocket Your Online Profits Using Database Marketing
What is database marketing?Database Marketing is the gathering and storing of specific information about your prospects or customers.This information is usually stored in a database program on your computer.
For Medical Device Makers, Full Spectrum Software Releases New Software Technical Report, QA Software Automation and Software Testing
Full Spectrum Software, a leading software engineering and software testing firm for medical device makers has announced the availability of their third Software Technical Report, QA Software Automation and Testing. Download Report (http://www.fullspectrumsoftware.com) The Software Technical Report offers software quality assurance project managers tools to analyze the true cost of QA automation tools, selecting the right people to automate software quality assurance tools and when to use automated versus manual software testing.
Software Maintenance Implications on Cost and Schedule
Abstract
The dictionary defines maintenance as, "The work of keeping something in proper order" However, this definition does not necessarily fit for software
Know More About Inventory Control Software
Inventory control software have become an integral part of the business. This software enables you to run your business conveniently. Even if you are a hard core manufacturer, the inventory control software helps you a lot. With the help of this software, you can manage the entire supply chain beginning from suppliers and ending with buyers.
Software Discounts On Major Software
There are many outstanding deals on the Internet for software discounts on major software programs that might be at the end of their 30-day free trial period and now, must be upgraded in order to keep using the new laptop computer system you just purchased. When the 30-day free trial runs out, new computer may be surprised to find out, that their software will no longer function.
Choosing an eBook Compiler
What is an eBook compiler?
For Medical Device Makers, a New Software Technology Report, Time to Get Rid of Your Old Code from Full Spectrum Software
Many medical device makers have older products, with old yet still functional software code bases. In this Software Technology Report, Full Spectrum Software offers a guide to updating documentation for existing code and creating the software specifications to write new modern software for your medical device. You can download the report here (http://www.fullspectrumsoftware.com/software-technology-reports). A must read for any medical device maker with older products.
Whos Database Are You In?
A database is basically a system for storing multiple items of information on a computer but how many of these have your details stored? I think you will be shocked to discover that your particulars are likely to be on hundreds of databases.The most common use of the information stored on a database is for cold calling sales.
|
 |
|
