Data Sense

AFP Conference in New Orleans

I had the pleasure of attending the Association of Fundraising Professional’s conference in New Orleans last week.  I would like to share three take-aways from the conference.

First is the changing face of fundraising.  There was considerable talk about President Obama’s use of social media during his presidential campaign. Some advocated immediate adoption of his campaign tactics—get on Twitter and Facebook or be left behind. The power of the millennial generation was proclaimed. One speaker announced that the donor pyramid is dead and that a flat fundraising model is the new paradigm. Others cautioned that traditional face-to-face cultivation of prospects and donors should not be ignored while incorporating new techniques.  I don’t know what fundraising will look like in the next year or decade, but I am convinced it is morphing.  That’s exciting and I can’t wait to see what is coming.

The second take-away from the conference was the incredible variety of donor databases from which an organization can choose.  I spent a good chunk of my time at the conference talking to vendors about their products. Some provided me with sample database discs so I can “play” with their products.  In the next couple of weeks I’ll participate in vendor webinars and demos.  Look for a future blog on selecting a donor database. You do have options.

The third and final take-away is that New Orleans is a great walking town.  The wharf, French Quarter, and Wholesale district are all easily accessible on foot. The Garden District can be explored by hopping a trolley.  My reason for being in New Orleans was the conference so exploration was limited but I will go back.

Thanks to AFP for a great conference and thanks to New Orleans from providing a great welcome.

What a Mess

We are remodeling our condo. The excitement of making plans, viewing drawings, picking colors, rugs, and furniture has given way to . . . chaos.  Items have been moved from room to room to make way for workers.  The contents of cabinets and furniture going to the kids have been unloaded and piled or boxed away.  Things have been tossed to anywhere we can find space. We can’t find what we need. Drywall dust is everywhere.  We eat out or eat dust. Disorder reigns and disorder does not sit well with someone who has spent her professional career organizing.

Why talk about our condo remodel?  Because the disorder reminds me of what can happen to a database when it is not properly populated, organized, or maintained.  (Those things are usually lacking when no documentation exists and no policy or procedures are in place.) In fairness to non-profits, it can be said that donor database products are sometimes sold as the be-all and end-all to a non-profit’s fund raising challenges.  But a database needs proper care and maintenance and there needs to be a plan in place to keep it organized and useful.
 
In pulling things out of cabinets during the remodel I found some items that I had forgotten about – items that have meaning to me. Because I neglected to put them in the right place in the beginning, they were lost to me. Do you have donors, once important to your organization, who have been neglected because they are lost in the clutter of your database?

I could go on, but you probably get the point.  I look forward to getting our home back in order. It will take time and planning but we’ll get there. You can bring order to your database.  It will take time and planning, but you can get there.

The Genesis of Data Sense

Last fall I started on a personal “campaign” to become a consultant.  I conducted a feasibility study of sorts by interviewing my spouse, friends, former co-workers and practicing consultants.  Next was a business plan to explore why, when, where and how. The business plan examined the current market and helped define a niche for the consultancy.  It forced me to focus on my mission, goals and values.  It became my strategic plan.  From the strategic plan flowed my “development plan“which included case, specific strategies for goals, a timeline and determining marketing needs.  A marketing plan, aided in large part by Trevor Yager of TrendyMinds, came next.  Does this sound familiar?

Planning works.  Whether one is running an annual fund, capital campaign or starting a planned giving program, an honest appraisal of the why, when, where and how is critical. An area that non-profits sometimes overlook in their planning process is behind-the-scenes where prospect research, prospect management, database management and reporting reside.  Look for more on that in our blog. That is our niche. That is why Data Sense exists.