February 2010 Newsletter
Nonprofit Neighborhood
Join us in Portland, OR
Representatives from thedatabank will be in Portland, OR this week to meet with Databank users and prospective clients. Below are two events that we will be hosting. Click the links for more information and to register. We hope you can join us!
Databank User Lunch in Portland, OR
Thursday, February 18 | 12:00 local time
Databank Info Session and Free Breakfast
Pazzo Restaurant | Friday, February 19 | 8:30 local time
Informational Breakfast in St. Paul, MN
thedatabank will be hosting a free breakfast and information session on Friday, March 12th at the Downtowner Woodfire Grill. Whether you are actively looking for new software or just keeping your options open, we hope you'll join us to learn why The Databank is the best value in nonprofit software. Click here for more information and to sign up.
Free Spring Webinar: Raising Money with Email Appeals
Thursday, March 18th | 1pm Central Time
Join veteran nonprofit Internet strategist Michael Stein as he covers the tools and techniques for succeeding with raising money online with email appeals. Michael will discuss best practices for themes, narrative story arcs, using emotional assets, targeting audiences, subject lines, from lines, using video, optimizing landing pages, and measuring impact. Click here to register
Product Upgrade
New Fonts Added to HTML Editor
Clients with our e-Marketing or Advocacy Modules will notice new font choices added to the drop down list in the HTML Editor. All of the fonts are ones that are commonly used on the web, however, some of the fonts are Microsoft-based and some of the fonts are Apple-based. When using the Apple-based fonts, be sure to send yourself a test email on a PC to ensure that they display correctly.
Title/Suffix Fields Now Searchable
The title and suffix fields in The Databank are now searchable on the Search -> Personal page. Searches for title will match criteria in the title1 and title2 fields and searches for suffix will match criteria in the suffix1 and suffix2 fields.
Guest Contributor: Sue Browning of Copybook Consulting
Database Segmentation Creates Relationships, Communities
Complementary Service Provider, Sue Browning of Copybook Consulting shares some insight into using database segmentation to get the most out of your fundraising efforts. Learn how to raise more money by gaining a better understanding of different groups and targeting them accordingly. Read the full article
For more information on this subject, Strengthen Donor Relations Through Targeted Communications.
Databank Client Named Organizer of the Year
Congratulations to Alessandra Williams of HIRE Minnesota Campaign. She was named Organizer of the Year by Grassroots Solutions in honor of the birthdate of Saul Alinsky, a pioneer community organizer. Keep up the great work, Alessandra and HIRE Minnesota!
New Clients
Urban Leadership Academy (ULA) - Urban Leadership Academy is an organization dedicated to the development of generational leaders to bring transformative change to local communities and around the world. Over 500 teens and their communities have been transformed as the ULA brings service, scholarship, and self discovery to teens of the Twin Cities.
Metro-wide Engagement on Shelter and Housing (MESH) - MESH's mission is to foster metro-wide partnerships and strengthen capacity to end homelessness. A unique collaboration of over 60 nonprofits, government agencies, elected officials, and providers of shelter and affordable housing services representing the seven county metro-area of the Twin Cities.
National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) - For more than 30 years, NCAT has been helping people and communities adopt technologies that save energy and resources. We help family farmers, government agencies, small businesses, and other nonprofit and low income organizations learn about sustainable energy, agriculture, and community development opportunities.
Featured Resource
Webinar: Fundraising Campaign Success - Using Email and Direct Mail to Inspire your Donors
Last September, thedatabank hosted a webinar on integrated fundraising campaigns, featuring Tom Tarnow of Habitat for Humanities Twin Cities. This one hour webinar covers a case study and tips on getting more mileage out of your fundraising campaign by integrating various methods of communication. Click here to watch the webinar recording.
Staff Profile
Chris Hanson, CEO and Co-founder
Chris has extensive experience in the fundraising field. Prior to co-founding thedatabank in 1998, he founded Response Group, Inc and was a Managing Director for a direct mail company called Direct Expressions. He recently reflected on the changes he's seen in fundraising in the last 25 years.
"My first real exposure to fundraising was in 1982, when I volunteered to coordinate a large annual fundraising dinner for an organization. I spent the next 15 years working for and consulting with nonprofits and political campaigns on direct market fundraising, doing everything from stuffing envelopes to managing large national prospecting campaigns. The basics of fundraising have not really changed over that time. You still need to find ways to engage people in what you do and build those relationships.
What has changed dramatically is the processes for developing and managing those relationships. Technology has helped organizations to understand who their supporters are in ways we never imagined 20 years ago. Technology also allows organizations to reach out to people through new channels of communication. Since starting thedatabank in 1998, the shift from the use of direct mail and telephones to online communications have been remarkable.
Another big change in fundraising is the significant increase in the competitive nature of the market. Every day more and more nonprofits are entering the market and competing for support from the same people. The organizations that are best able to engage these prospective supporters and connect with them on a personal level are the ones that will sustain. Having a good database with integrated communications capabilities like the Databank is important, but having a good integrated communications plan is equally important.