News

Improving Fundraising Data Project

The Collaborative is launching an initiative to help nonprofits achieve more fundraising impact from their current data.

The Capacity Collaborative is proud to announce a new initiative called Improving Data for Fundraising Success.  The initiative s designed to help small nonprofits achieve more results with existing donor information.  The program is in its pilot stage and is seeking feedback from select nonprofits.

The Collaborative's initial research suggests many small to mid-size nonprofits often possess potentially useful donor data that exists in unusable form.  Some common obstacles include:

 

  • multiple Excel sheets
  • gifts not entered in consistent categories
  • duplicated records
  • insufficient segmentation to drive cultivation
  • lack of manpower in record entry and gift acknowledgment

 

We are confident that best practices in data optimization combined with targeted, short term infusion of outside personnel can address these obstacles and produce fundraising improvements quickly.  Our survey seeks to refine a program currently in design stage that is meant to provide a cost efficient solution for the sector

Organizations involved in the survey will participate in an initial 15 minute telephone survey, with some participants asked to take part in a follow up 30 minute interview.  The initial interview subject should be with the staff most immediately responsible for development (which could be the executive director), and the follow up interview should be with the executive director.

Depending on the interviews, suitable organizations may be offered the opportunity to participate in the pilot program at significantly subsidized cost.  The program will be executed by Consulting Within Reach in partnership with the Capacity Collaborative.