Digging into Data Management

October 14, 2022 Kim Peterson

Welcome to the 4th post and the 3rd system of the Root Systems Series! We are digging deep into data and the priority systems needed to harness its power for small-shop fundraising excellence. Links to my previous posts in the series are at the bottom, and here is the button to download your free:

Onward!

First system

Top of the pack, obviously, is the donor database - or donor management system (DMS). I’m not even going to try and make an argument for it here because if you web search “Do I need a donor database?” the magic of SEO-powered blog posts and keyword ads will answer that for you.

Picking a first or new database is a huge project and topic within itself, so for now we’ll cover only the subsystems connected to your DMS:

Data entry

To get maximum value out of your DMS, it’s best to have:

⚙️ Rules and procedures to ensure data is clean (ie. no missing data and data is entered consistently)

⚙️ Rules and procedures to ensure data is organized (ie. tags and coding so that you can pull segments/groups of data for reporting or communications)

Regular “housekeeping”

⚙️ Identifying and managing duplicate data

⚙️ Archiving old tags, campaigns, appeals

⚙️ Updating forms, campaigns, appeals

Second System

Most DMS software is now designed to store and organize a variety of data and documentation, however there is definitely an argument to be made for a filing system external from the database.

⚙️ For security and compliance reasons, you will need to store back-up records related to gifts and tax receipts.

⚙️ For some documents like grant applications, proposals and reports (both final and draft versions), it is easier to retrieve what you need when they are organized in files on a computer drive.

Filing system tips:

✔️ Naming conventions! Pick a way to label your files and stick with it: (ex. YYMMDD_Donor Name_File Description; 220402_PlumFnd_GrantDraft)

✔️ Organize! Nest your folders in a “logical hierarchy” so that it makes sense for anyone looking

Third System

This is more of a collection of systems, but it all has to do with the data or information that just doesn’t go anywhere else. I’m calling them “square pegs”. These include:

Information related to grant management or your grant calendar
Contact information for subscribers/followers/event attendees who are NOT in your database
Volunteer hours
Marketing analytics that could be applicable to fundraising
“Impact data”, for example: program statistics, testimonials, photos, etc.

The square pegs can be organized a few ways:

⚙️ Your database could actually have a functionality specifically for this type of information (like grant tracking) OR sometimes you can figure out a work-around (it’s not a crime, promise)

⚙️ You can find a third-party software service that solves this specific problem (like a email marketing service for all the non-donor addresses)

⚙️ You can build your own system (ie. a spreadsheet)

Yikes! Did I just suggest a spreadsheet?! 😱

Hear me out - a spreadsheets + files combo is perfectly fine when the data you’re collecting is relatively limited in quantity. Two benefits to this method are that you can customize how you collect and organize the information, AND the technology isn’t new so most people won’t find it to be intimidating.

And even though I’ve buried the Impact Data piece at the very bottom of this post, when it comes to fundraising, I actually think it’s one of the more important systems you can have in place.

In an ideal world we would have time to fuss around with the filing system all the livelong day, but in terms of time investment, your best bet is to have a solid system for collecting and organizing impact data that you will use on a ongoing basis:

🌈Sharing with donors and your community to build support and strengthen emotional connections with your cause

🌈Adding to grant applications, proposals and reports

🌈Using it for internal reporting - measuring against performance indicators and program evaluation/analysis

Here’s the twist - impact data management is amazing and valuable, but first you need impact data collection. Yeah - this is a system that bridges the world of fundraising and program delivery… which I feel is a subject for another day.

((Cliffhanger!))