 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Newsletter, October 2004By Karen Graham, Client Development Manager
Nonprofit NeighborhoodAll eyes on the presidential raceThis issue of our newsletter comes to you live from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits annual conference, where the theme is Participation: Creating and Sustaining Engaged Communities. This topic is especially relevant in the year of an important presidential election. We're proud to have many clients that are active in nonpartisan voter mobilization projects. And yesterday, thedatabank's CEO Chris Hanson presented a workshop on using a database to drive and enhance participation, in this election season and beyond. With so much energy going into this election, it can be difficult to think past November 2. But we're excited to announce these new clients who will be enjoying their new databases in the coming weeks.
Tip du JourRunning reportsIn preparing your annual fundraising appeal, you may want to identify LYBNTs and SYBNTs. These terms refer to people who gave Last Year But Not This year, or Some Years But Not This year. If you are using DonorMax to track donations, it is easy to build this type of report. For LYBNTs, use Search > Contributions to select everyone who made a donation last year. Then, change the selection mode to Remove, and remove everyone who made a contribution this year. For SYBNTs, start by selecting everyone who made a donation in any year, then remove those who contributed already this year. Once you've made your selection, you can download data about your LYBNTs or SYBNTs for use in a targeted mailing or email. You can also create a report within thedatabank, or transfer data to a spreadsheet for calculations and analysis.
Karen's BlogGoing to the racesI watched the Twin Cities Marathon a few weeks ago and cheered for two friends who were running for the first time, one in the full marathon and one in a 10 mile race. I was so impressed by the effort, preparation and determination that goes into long distance races. From time to time, organizations approach thedatabank with plans to completely change the way they handle data, and maybe you are thinking about it too. Like a long distance race, the implementation of a new data management system is a difficult but rewarding endeavor. Here are some things you should know before you begin. 1. You need a plan. You can't just wake up one morning and decide to run 26.2 miles. Neither would you rush into a new data management system. Some of the preparations might include analyzing the type of data you collect and how you use it, researching what types of technology are available, taking stock of your current lists, figuring out how data management fits with your mission and strategic plan, and determining how much money and time you can devote. 2. The right equipment helps. Imagine jogging in high heels...you need good running shoes that fit. Some things to consider about a database are whether it is scalable, reliable, secure, and if it can integrate with other technology used by your organization. 3. You will get blisters. There are bound to be some things that don't go perfectly. In fact, you might even feel like you've hit the wall, and you're ready to give up on this &%$# database, but then... 4. You will feel great when you reach the finish line! Not only will you feel a sense of accomplishment, you will also enjoy the benefits of an efficient, thoughtfully designed system. This might include more efficient use of staff time, improved access to data, increased analytic capabilities, and fewer technology headaches. 5. It's important to stay in shape. Don't become a database couch potato. Remember to periodically remove duplicates, update addresses, etc. You might also wish to re-evaluate some of the decisions you made when setting up your data management system. If you are a client of thedatabank, we're happy to meet with you and find out what is necessary to fine tune your system. 6. Remember I am cheering for you! Karen
AnnouncementsNew Staffthedatabank welcomes Richard Daley , who will be helping us with list processing and GIS mapping through the election. Upgrades Duplicate processing can now be done on a selection of records or your whole database. Events Visit us at the following conferences:
Just For FunFor Halloween: run a marathon in costume
| |
|
|
|