Newsletter, June 2008
By Karen Graham, Director of Business Development
Nonprofit Neighborhood
Product Enhancement: Subscription Management Beta Release
Our enhanced subscription management system has been tested internally, and we are now moving into a second testing phase during which a group of clients will begin using it. During this phase we will monitor it closely, make final tweaks, and prepare training materials and manuals.
The new subscription management has these benefits:
- Email recipients can choose unsubscribe from a particular publication while remaining subscribed to others. The global unsubscribe, which is currently the default, will still be available.
- Databank users can set up a list of public and private publications, such as email news, action alerts, fundraising appeals, and interest-based emails. Users can then subscribe a selection, in batch mode, to a particular publication.
- Unsubscribe forms (online) can now have a design template that matches your web site. Note: this is available immediately; contact your account manager for info on how to add your design template.
Bug Fix - We discovered that the action alert Summary report and the Results reports within alerts were not properly counting new subscriptions. This was fixed June 3, and the change is not retroactive.
Online Tutorial Released
This week thedatabank released our first online tutorial, a 3 minute video on Saved Search. We hope to produce a series of short tutorials which can be played on demand, to supplement our live training and support.
Watch the tutorial: Creating and Replaying a Saved Search
Lakota Funds celebrate their success
The Databank helps a number of Lakota organizations to manage direct mail appeals, resulting in funding which, as you will read, is bringing hope and prosperity to the Pine Ridge Reservation by investing in the oyate, the people.
Here's the story of one of those organiza tions, Lakota Funds, in their own words:
"Lakota Funds celebrated 20 years of community development on the Pine Ridge Reservation, in June 2007. The databank has set up Lakota Funds 1000 Arrows Campaign which has made it possible to assist future entrepreneurs of the Pine Ridge Reservation (Oglala Lakota Nation). Lakota Funds is the new arrow, the tool to protect the people from poverty and hopelessness by helping to build an economy capable of feeding and housing. Providing free financial literacy, housing, financial capital, market access, technical assistance, and loan products to all member of the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Lakota Funds has assisted with creation and expansion of over 350 businesses, one of which was the first Rock Climbing Wall of the Pine Ridge Reservation. Small Business Success Coaching with technical assistance, loan for start up, with financial literacy course and others. Lakota Funds is also helping tribal members on their path to starting their own small businesses with Individual Development Account of Savings to save for three asset building options: starting their own small business, home ownership, and secondary education costs. This was made available with the support in the results of our direct mail campaign contributors."
For more information on Lakota Funds visit www.lakotafunds.org or call 605-455-2500.
New Clients
The Barnacle Society (TBS) is a State of Florida Citizens Support Organization which generates public awareness, education and financial support for the preservation and maintenance of the Barnacle, the oldest home in Miami-Dade County still on its original site. They said, "Being a volunteer and member based organization, communication is key for us. We chose to use The Databank's services to help us coordinate outreach through our website and email newsletter and to effectively maintain member and donor information in one easily accessible location. We look forward to the increased efficiency The Databank will bring to our efforts to care for this lovely old home and park."
North American Lake Management Society - The purpose of the Society is to forge partnerships among citizens, scientists, and professionals to foster the management and protection of lakes and reservoirs.
Unite District 281 - Unite District 281 is a grassroots group of District 281 (Robbinsdale MN Area Schools) community members dedicated to supporting our schools. They are currently petitioning to get an operating referendum on the local ballot for 2008. They will use the Databank for communication, volunteer management and fundraising.
Better Schools Referendum 2008 - The Strong Schools. Strong City. Referendum Campaign 2008 is working to support passage of the Minneapolis Public Schools' funding referendum which will be on the Minneapolis ballot in November of 2008. The campaign is using the Databank to assist in managing volunteers, events, e-updates and donations.
Reflecting on a Decade
 Enjoy What You Do
by thedatabank Co-Founder Chris Hanson
As I have been doing all year to celebrate out 10th year of being in business, I am writing a reflection on some of the things that have happened over those years. This month's reflection took a turn when I heard the news of Tim Russert's untimely death on Friday.
As some of you may know, I spent more than a few years working with political campaigns and have spent many a Sunday morning watching Meet the Press. I, along with most everyone I know, considered Tim Russert to be the epitome of political journalism. More than that, he seemed to be a person who truly enjoyed his work and considered it a gift to be doing what he did.
Politics has more than a little to do with the success of thedatabank. Mark (President and co-founder of thedatabank) and I met while working on a political campaign back in 1993. In 1997, when I began to think about building a web-based database system, I called Mark up to see if he would be interested in working with me on the idea. As fate would have it, the company Mark had been working for had recently been purchased by another company, which subsequently eliminated the entire Internet division that Mark oversaw. In short, he was available.
In 2001, Mark and I met with the Paul Wellstone senate campaign to pitch them the idea of using thedatabank for their campaign database system. We were honored, and a bit scared, when they decided to hire us. Paul is a hero of both Mark and me. Of course the tragic plane crash ended Paul's life at the same age of Tim Russert, 58. Both were in the prime of their lives, and were taken so suddenly.
Although thedatabank no longer does much political campaign work, we continue to work with organizations like Wellstone Action, which has trained 1,000s of people to carry forward the legacy of progressive action embodied by Paul and Sheila Wellstone. I am grateful, everyday to have the opportunity to help our clients make a better world. Life is precious; there is no time to waste.
Peace - Chris
Meet the Staff
.JPG) Kate Christian, Bookkeeper
At thedatabank since: 1998
What she likes best about her job: I need to work in a setting where I feel as if I am part of the solution. Working for the databank and working with our clients truly makes me feel positive about our future as a society.
What she does in her spare time: Run, bike, walk the dog, camp, read (for pleasure and for personal growth!), grocery shop at my local co-op, hang out with my husband and our two teenage daughters, attend their soccer games and track meets and occasionally manage to have dinner together as a family.
Famous person she would like to have lunch with: I'm drawing a blank on a famous person, but if I could have my Mom back for a day, I'd love to take her to lunch.
Tip du Jour
Get Your Message Across: Avoiding Spam Filters
This is one of the more popular, tried and true items on our web site's Resource page. Learn some tips for improving email delivery and avoiding spam filters .
Karen's Blog
My second foray into recorded trainings
If you watch our new online tutorial , you will hear my voice as the narrator. Listen closely, and you will also hear a mysterious humming noise about a third of the way through. Honestly, I was not vacuuming while I recorded it. Anyway, aside from that glitch, I'm pleased with the way the tutorial turned out.
Confession: this is not my first appearance in a training video. Years ago, I was interviewed on camera, at an ad hoc studio inside Lino Lakes Prison. A cameo subsequently appeared in two nationally distributed videos preparing inmates for their release.
As you can probably guess, based on that revelation, I didn't have much of a technical background prior to joining thedatabank. And yet here I am, producing software tutorials.
The point is that you don't have to be a technical expert either, in order to use some of the more advanced features of the Databank. You just have to take the time - in this case 3 minutes watching a video - to learn. I hope you will take a moment to watch it and tell me what you think. If you need more help, send a Support Request, or contact me directly.
Karen
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