Connection Cafe

JANUARY 3, 2017

In the Age of Big Data, countless companies are turning their wealth of data into an extremely valuable asset. Unfortunately, the same is not true for many nonprofits and their data. In the book , I explore how nonprofits struggle with maximizing the value in their data. The data piles up and up.

Data 31

Data Nonprofit Analytics Analysis 31

Connection Cafe

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

You can have all the data in the world but if it is not accurate or documented then it can be of very little use to you. Now also keep in mind, there isn’t one organization that is not constantly updating the information on their donors. Update Address information on a regular basis.

Data 36

Data Strategy Database Analytics 36

Connection Cafe

APRIL 10, 2017

It is appropriate to expect positive ROI from data analytics, but remember that expectations must be fueled by actions! One of the core reasons I love data analytics in the world of fundraising is that it can drive us to achieve positive ROI and help us to determine an appropriate return on investment for our organization.

ROI 52

ROI Analytics Data Help 52

Connection Cafe

APRIL 2, 2018

Data and analytics can play a big role in improving nonprofit strategy. It usually doesn’t though, and that’s because most nonprofits are using their data wrong. Think about the last strategy meeting you were a part of: What information was distributed beforehand? Data analytics could be fresh garlic.*

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Data Help Analytics Test 31

Connection Cafe

APRIL 18, 2017

The key is moving from simply collecting data to actually leveraging your nonprofit’s data in the right ways. Here are three important components to thinking like a data driven nonprofit : Find Meaning in Your Nonprofit Data. They analyzed petabytes of data and something popped in the results: Pop-Tarts.

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Data Donor Analytics Gift 38

Connection Cafe

AUGUST 1, 2018

As the web has matured, breaches to personal information have become more and more common place. How private data is stored and secured has become a hot-button issue for most users today, and it is not going away. So, how can you make sure you are doing your part to keep constituent data private and reduce the risk of breaches?

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Websites Data Paypal Blackbaud 25

Connection Cafe

OCTOBER 21, 2014

“Big data” can help nonprofits predict future behavior precisely and provide an important competitive edge. But how do you prevent information overload and derive these insights efficiently? The key is to make “big data” more manageable. Data must predict things worth predicting; not all of it is useful or actionable.

Data 39

Data Analytics eBook Culture 39

Connection Cafe

MAY 19, 2018

Thanks to new platforms, technology and increasingly connected lives, data and stories shared widely can be powerful tools to reveal differences and build a much stronger picture of the injustice that women and girls experience worldwide. To count we must be counted. This missing picture has stalled global progress towards gender equality.

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Data Free Picture Global 25

Connection Cafe

JULY 10, 2013

Start with the big question – each time you answer a higher level question, other questions will continue to lead you down the path of the most valuable information. Don’t: Limit Yourself to Your Data. Too many organizations resist posing the ‘right’ question because they don’t feel that they have the right data to answer it.

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Data Analytics Exercise Model 39

Connection Cafe

DECEMBER 20, 2012

Last week we discussed how mobility is simply not just about technology anymore. As you look ahead to 2013, consider these five tips for managing the mobile world.

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Mobile Tips Management Data 37

Connection Cafe

JUNE 19, 2013

You can have all the data in the world but if it is not accurate or documented then it can be of very little use to you. Now also keep in mind, there isn’t one organization that is not constantly updating the information on their donors. Update address information on a regular basis.

Data 30

Data Strategy Database Analytics 30

Connection Cafe

JUNE 20, 2013

So July and August can be a great time to clean-up your fundraising system to make sure your data is as accurate and robust as possible, in particular when you start thinking of embarking on a data analytics and/or prospect screening project in the coming months, let’s say maybe later in the 3 rd and 4 th quarters.

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Data Analytics Database Phone 43

Connection Cafe

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

We know that Big Data is fundamentally changing how companies make decisions and improve their performance, but many nonprofit organizations have lagged behind in this area. Over a year ago, I set out on a journey to understand why nonprofits are not making more out of the hidden treasure in their data.

Data 20

Data Storytelling Nonprofit Influence 20

Connection Cafe

OCTOBER 21, 2013

You can have all the data in the world but if it is not accurate or documented then it can be of very little use to you. Now also keep in mind, there isn’t one organization that is not constantly updating the information on their donors. Update Address information on a regular basis.

Data 26

Data Strategy Database Track 26

Connection Cafe

JULY 27, 2016

Any discussion about nonprofit data or analytics reminds me of Poe’s “The Purloined Letter” because so many organizations have a very valuable asset left out in plain sight. The data nonprofits have is often overlooked and undervalued by them. Everything begins with data quality. That’s why I prefer to call it “data health.”

Data 20

Data Analytics Model Analysis 20

Connection Cafe

APRIL 2, 2019

What kinds of data should be tracked from these interactions? At that time, we were using shadow databases, or informal notes to track who was engaged. Without a tool of record, it was next to impossible to aggregate all our information, measure our impact, and share success with the board or outside stakeholders.

Program 21

Program Data Develop Lesson 21

Connection Cafe

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

For brevity let’s decide that it is about technology, techniques and processes for understanding what’s in your data and driving your business practices. Analytics can help to determine trends, prescribe actions and responses, and provide a solid foundation for data-driven decision making. Do we have good data to analyze?

Analytics 40

Analytics Data Analysis Culture 40

Connection Cafe

MARCH 21, 2014

Having accurate and consistent data is not only essential to a nonprofit’s Grants Management strategy, it’s crucial to the reliability of information across all systems within an organization as well. A data entry standards manual enables an organization to: Comply with requirements. Maintain consistent information.

Data 36

Data Grant Facilitation Guide 36

Connection Cafe

JUNE 7, 2013

Some nonprofits spend a lot of time on content and information architecture when redesigning their website. Tools like Google Analytics offer a ton of information. Strapped for time, and sometimes lacking expertise, it’s difficult to make sense of analytics data. Web Analytics & Nonprofits. Web analytics can help.

Action 44

Action Websites Data Analytics 44

Connection Cafe

DECEMBER 2, 2016

I had the privilege of hearing from Rosie Siemer and Dana Hines on Membership & Engagement: The Power of Data at bbcon 2016. I loved this session; not only am I an undisputed data nerd, but also I love finding new ways to engage and communicate better. Facebook combines critical mass (everyone is on Facebook) with data.

Data 20

Data Donor Beginner Database 20

Connection Cafe

MARCH 10, 2011

But, I struggled with data and I know many organizations still do. Useful for me, but not so useful for other staff members of the small office who might benefit from the information I gleaned. And it helped, the writing was cleaner, the types of information we gathered was more streamlined. And I loved it.

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Volunteer Data Newsletter Benefit 51

Connection Cafe

OCTOBER 31, 2013

Data health woes. Outdated constituent information. Just when you thought Halloween was the only time you got SPOOKED, you take a look at the data in your CRM system and realize you might be living in a data nightmare! Out of date information. As a data geek, that sounds like one invite I would not RSVP “no” to!

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Data Metrics Mail Measure 26

Connection Cafe

JULY 9, 2015

“Big data” has been a “big topic” for quite some time now. What does big data mean? Let’s identify the type of data analytics we discussed & how they can help your organization: How to use your CRM data to analyze trends in gift history, affiliations, connections, etc.

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San Diego Data Benefit Analytics 20

Connection Cafe

JULY 15, 2013

Tracking important data is one of those key functions that all nonprofits should be doing at some level. For those who are already tracking data, ask yourselves what is this data providing me? Is it key information that is furthering our staff in the fundraising cycle? Now begins the tough questions.

Track 28

Track Data Student Model 28

Connection Cafe

NOVEMBER 7, 2013

So, to keep in mind all these factors and actually make right decisions, we had to search beyond our instincts and start gathering data to know where we are heading. There are tons of data hidden in the inner resources of your organization and you can collect them from all the people involved in your nonprofit. The effect?

Data 38

Data Management Nonprofit Survey 38

Connection Cafe

JANUARY 14, 2019

This personalization has typically involved presenting a handful of data-points or “variables” back to the prospect or donor to make the appeal seem as if it was written with them in mind. Step 1: Data Collection. For example, based on information on the gift record, you could find out if the donor: Attended an event.

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Personal Foundation Data Donor 22

Connection Cafe

JUNE 28, 2013

I will never forget the day when I was asked to assist with a “small data cleanup” project. I spent the entire week updating deceased information and addresses. In the grand scheme of things, that week didn’t even put a dent into what needed to be done to clean up constituent data.

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Data Organization Mail United States 38

Connection Cafe

APRIL 25, 2014

To do this, you’ll need data. Hold a small donor focus group and ask them to provide feedback on current communications – do they follow the organization on social media, do they visit your website for updates, do they want more information or less from the organization? Take a couple of months to gather information about your donors.

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Donor Map Data Profile 40

Connection Cafe

OCTOBER 15, 2015

In fact, we have so much data to analyze and interpret that it can be hard to know where to start. Before you get overwhelmed and are tempted to spend exorbitant amounts of money on data management, take a step back and think about what you really need. First: Devise a data strategy. What data helps predict financial success?

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Data Marketing Method History 20

Connection Cafe

JULY 22, 2013

This post is about how we incorporate Google Analytics data into our Design Process. Once we get access to a client’s Google Analytics data, we first establish a timeframe for reporting. Ideally, we’d evaluate the previous year of data to observe patterns in different giving cycles. Methodology. Research Questions. What’s Next.

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Analytics Design Research Process 37

Connection Cafe

APRIL 16, 2013

For a data nerd like myself, this was refreshing, as the average citizen started to gain a new found respect for a set of skills that had always largely been viewed as the sausage making that decision makers weren’t necessarily interested in understanding. The area of analytics and data consumption is still evolving. Self-Taught.

Analytics 31

Analytics Data Classes Beginner 31

Connection Cafe

MAY 5, 2010

No, "Nonprofit Data Jam" is not the label on the mix CD you listen to while deduping your donor data file. :) It's an upcoming event in DC, hosted by the New America Foundation, on the topic of how funding and grants data could be shared and used in other ways. Information on the event from New America Foundation: [link].

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Grant Data Work America 30

Connection Cafe

SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

I led the panel, “Measuring What Matters: How Funders and Nonprofits are Leveraging Data” and was joined by Adrian Bordone, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships at GuideStar, and Peter York CEO and Chief Innovator at Algorythm. Access to Data. They look to other key players in the space to find data information.

Measure 20

Measure Data Impact Technology 20

Connection Cafe

JUNE 7, 2013

Some nonprofits spend a lot of time on content and information architecture when redesigning their website. Tools like Google Analytics offer a ton of information. Strapped for time, and sometimes lacking expertise, it’s difficult to make sense of analytics data. Web Analytics & Nonprofits. Web analytics can help.

Action 26

Action Websites Data Analytics 26

Connection Cafe

JANUARY 6, 2015

That detailed information may be the difference in your recovery. And, when you’re lying on your back feeling sick, the physician needs another source of data. Today, healthcare IT has adapted to provide the information that makes clinical caregivers more effective. Donor data is the key to securing a gift.

Accessibility 20

Accessibility Data Donor Help 20

Connection Cafe

JANUARY 7, 2021

In today’s episode, Stu Manewith, Director of Thought Leadership and Advocacy for Omatic Software and Bailey Benzlé, Director Of Pre-Sales & Sales Enablement for Omatic Software, discuss leveraging data quality and strategic communication to increase the win-back rate. Information that you need to pull about donors.

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Podcast Donor Sample Retention 49

Connection Cafe

OCTOBER 30, 2017

Letting data dictate your organizational strategy should not be an option…it’s a must. What does it mean to be data-driven ? Being data-driven starts at the culture level. In other words, your nonprofit needs to make a full commitment to let data drive decisions company-wide. Let’s look at some data.

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Analytics Volunteer Donor Google 39