finding the perfect donor database in an imperfect world
DESCRIPTION
There are hundreds of donor databases on the market. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, fans and foes. The challenge is to find a system with strengths that meet your needs, weaknesses that won’t get in your way, at a price you can afford.This workshop will cover the basic concepts you will need to evaluate your options and make an informed decision.TRANSCRIPT
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Finding the Perfect Donor Database in an Imperfect World
Robert Weiner
Use Twitter Hashtag #npweb
Special Thanks To Our Sponsors
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Today’s Speaker
Hosting: Sam Frank, Synthesis Partnership Assisting with chat questions: Chris Dumas, FirstGiving
Robert Weiner Robert L. Weiner Consulting
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Agenda • Why Are We Here Today? • When to Change? • What Might it Cost? • How to Choose?
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• “After people, data is your most important resource.” — John Kenyon.
• A database is your institutional memory. • It allows the organization to survive staff turnover.
• A good database helps you work smarter.
Why Are We Here Today?
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When to Change? • Routine reports are painful to produce. • Critical information is on paper. • Can’t track metrics or progress. • Data scattered in spreadsheets. • Data can’t be integrated across systems.
• Can’t get 360 degree view of relationships, • Data is in fundraisers’ heads. • Your organization is changing. • Bad vendor or wrong choice last time.
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Principles • There is no perfect database. • First, decide what you’re looking for. • Buy-in is critical. Stakeholders must be
involved in the decision. • Structure software demos so you can
compare “apples to apples.” • Make sure you understand all the costs. • Trust but verify.
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Buying A Database
1) Secure the Funding. 2) Convene the right team. 3) Specify your needs and priorities. 4) Identify a pool of potential vendors.
• RFP/RFI 5) Test vendors against your needs.
• Scripted demos • Usability testing • Reference checks • Site visits
6) Get a detailed cost proposal.
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Step 1: Secure the funding
Image: alancleaver_2000
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Sample 5 Year Budget
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Step 2: Convene the Team
Image: 2dayblog.com
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Step 3: What Do You Need?
Image: Pete Reed
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Step 3.1: Prioritize Your Needs
Source: NPower: Four Steps to Selecting Donor Management Software
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Step 4: Identify The Vendor Pool
Image: 99 James Kieran Nguyen
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Step 4.1: Optional: Request For Proposals
• Can help narrow or expand the vendor pool. • Ask clear, unambiguous questions. • Be Specific:
• “Show how your system would handle donations in $, ¥, €, and £” not “Can it track gifts?”
• “Show where your system would track catering costs” not “Can it handle events?”
• Anything you ask for you will have to read and score!
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Step 5: In-depth Comparisons
Image: Brooks Elliott Image: Castaway in Scotland Now
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Step 5.1: Simple Demo Script • Show how to:
• Enter gifts, including a corporate match with “soft credit” to the individual.
• Track multiple relationships. • Track a grant proposal from LOI to award.
• Select records based on combined demographic and gift criteria.
• Create a new report.
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Step 5.2: Rate the Demos
AREA RATING COMMENTS
Data Entry
Membership Mgmt.
Prospect Management
Events Management
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Step 5.3: Hands-on Testing
System Usability Scale: http://meiert.com/en/upload/2007/04/sus.pdf
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Step 5.4: Reference Checks
Image: pjern
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Step 6: Full Cost Proposal
Product 1 Product 2 Product 1 Product 2
Software 35 concurrent 50 user accounts
Oracle License Fee Training 19.5 days 33 days
Data Conversion 37.5 days 10 days Consulting Services 5 days 26.5 days
Travel expenses
3rd party Hardware Estimated Implementation Costs
Web-Community Module Pricing
Maintenance - Year 1 Estimated Maintenance - Year 2 Estimated
Maintenance - Year 3 Estimated
Average Implementation Time 7-12 months 10-12 months
Required Client resources during implementation 1.5 FTEs 1.5-2 FTEs Technical staff to maintain system ? 1-1.5 FTEs
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So How Long Might This Take? • Longer than you think it will.
• For small organizations, 3 – 6 months (or more) to select a system, 4 – 12 months (or more) to implement.
• For large organizations, 6 – 9 months (or more) to select, 12 – 24 months (or more) to implement.
• Plan for the unplanned. • Don’t hitch time-sensitive processes to going live
on your new database.
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Selection Recap 1) Secure the funding. 2) Convene the right team. 3) Specify your needs and priorities. 4) Identify a pool of potential vendors. 5) Test vendors against your needs.
• RFP/RFI • Scripted demos • Usability testing • Reference checks • Determine the real cost.
11) Choose. 12) Negotiate the contract.
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Databases Don’t Raise the Money But the right database can assist with:
• Prioritizing and segmenting lists. • Prospect management and tracking. • Stewarding your current donors. • Identifying future donors. • Time-management. • Measuring and forecasting. • Asking the right person for the right gift at the right time for
the right purpose.
This is only possible if data is captured and made available to appropriate staff.
Don’t forget: databases don’t run themselves.
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Resources Batchelder, Duff: Evaluating & Selecting Fundraising Software
www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/software/page4829.cfm
Battin, Tom: Should Nonprofit Agencies Build or Buy a Database? www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/databases/page5028.cfm
Petulla, Maria: Making Order Out of Chaos: How a Good Fundraising Database Can Help You Raise More Money
www.fundraising123.org/article/making-order-out-chaos-part-i-database-reports-proof-effectiveness
Idealware: A Consumers Guide to Low Cost Donor Management Systems: www.idealware.org/reports/consumers-guide-low-cost-donor-management-systems
Idealware: more articles on constituent databases www.idealware.org/articles/managing-constituents
Mills-Groninger, Tim: The Soft(ware) Side of Fundraising Effectiveness: www.nptimes.com/07Sep/070901SR2.pdf
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TechSoup: Selecting Donor Management Software www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/databases/page4797.cfm
TechSoup: Technology for Fundraising discussion forum www.techsoup.org/forums/index.cfm?fuseaction=list&forum=2022&cid=117
Weiner, Robert: Finding the Perfect Fundraising Database in an Imperfect World
www.rlweiner.com/grf/grf_finding_perfect_database.pdf
Weiner, Robert: Ten Common Mistakes in Selecting Donor Databases www.idealware.org/articles/ten_common_mistakes_in_selecting_donor_databases.php
Weiner, Robert: Why Building Your Own Database Should Be Your Last Resort www.rlweiner.com/nten/why_building_your_own_database_should_be_your_last_resort.pdf
More resources are posted at www.rlweiner.com/resources
Resources
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Questions?
Submit your questions using the chat box.
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Questions? Submit your questions using the question box.
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