Robert Weiner

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Training on your new database

Robert Weiner

A question was posted to a listserve for nonprofit techies looking for tips on training staff on a new database. The trainer needs to understand the database, present technical concepts clearly and without jargon, teach at the students' level, and be incredibly patient. Train end users on a sample database, not production data.

Database 166
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ROI for a donor database

Robert Weiner

There are key components of advancement support missing in the current software (one of the two areas above, or Events management, or Volunteer management, or on-line fundraising, or Campaign Reporting, or…). An inability to hire staff who know how to use or support the database in question. Stewarding current donors. Time-management.

Database 181
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Chosing a donor database

Robert Weiner

I get a lot of emails like the following from small nonprofits: We desperately need to get a new donor database and most of them are totally unaffordable!! Looking at the Idealware Low Cost Database report , I find that there are so many considerations that it is quite complicated to make a choice. Then you need to check references.

Database 180
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Should You Delete Donor Records?

Robert Weiner

While there are ways around it, that typically ends your ability to communicate with the donor, invite them to events, re-engage them, steward them, or understand why a subsequent gift or bequest came from them. Advancement Services Best Practices Databases Donor Databases Fundraising' That’s not the same as deleting them.

Donor 112
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Discussion of Donor Data Retention

Robert Weiner

How many people in your database have gone off the grid for 7+ years and then come back? If it’s a record with no financial giving and no actions, is there another reason that it is in the database? in the database—that’s just taking up space.). Are you going to shelve them in another database – for review ?

Retention 100
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Thoughts on the Blackbaud – Convio deal

Robert Weiner

I’ve also been compiling a list of every donor database I come across at https://socialsourcecommons.org/toolbox/show/1661. Support advocacy, volunteer management, complex events, electronic communications, content management, online payments, and merchandise sales. I’m more concerned about the top end of the market.

Convio 222
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New Year’s Resolution: Be Good To Your Data

Robert Weiner

An organization’s databases store its history: contact records; people served; donors, funders, and prospects; VIPs, volunteers, and vendors; event attendees, and more. Yet many organizations don’t pay enough attention to the care and feeding of their databases. Tags: IT Management Security Databases.

Data 100