Is data itself swoon-worthy? Not usually. But what data does for you? That’s a different story. Good data is like a great relationship—it builds trust, keeps you confident, and helps you achieve your goals.
Picture this:
- A major gift officer opens her laptop and—immediately—she knows who to call, what to say, and how to make the most of her time.
- A membership director can easily identify who’s losing interest in his organization and who’s ready to level up their commitment. His limited budget? Spent with precision.
- A leader walks into meetings with crystal-clear insights backed by numbers and figures. Her team is aligned, her board is impressed, and her strategy? Bulletproof.
- A fundraising professional standing at the front of the room, data in hand, delivers a pitch so sharp and well-supported that people can’t help but nod along.
Now that’s swoon-worthy. But here’s the thing—good data like that takes effort. When information overload is ever-present, data silos are taking over the technology landscape, and there’s limited time and money on the line, getting everyone on board with data-driven decision making can feel impossible.
So, how do you achieve the impossible? Here’s what I’ve learned over the last 20 years.
1. Commit to the Data Love Affair
The most important part of securing good data is believing that it matters. Parroting key words like “data-driven” or “donor-centered” is easy; investing in it is hard. Commit to the data love affair and prioritize the research and resources needed to back up your words with action. Every nonprofit wants a complete picture of their constituents’ engagement, but not every nonprofit is willing to invest in the means necessary to accomplish this goal. Check out Benefactor Group’s white paper, “Chasing a Unicorn: Ohio Nonprofits Stive to See View of Constituents” to see a candid overview of the nonprofit technology landscape.
2. Appoint a Data Matchmaker
Someone needs to own it. Clear goals, firm deadlines, and real accountability are essential. Without a point person, it’s wishful thinking.
3. Give Your Team the Right Tools
Data magic requires the right ingredients—enough time, good software, proper training, and sometimes outside expertise to get things moving. Investing now will offer dividends later.
4. Keep it Flirtatiously Simple
No need for AI wizardry, bitcoin, or other flashy trends. Utilizing an engagement scoring system to better understand your constituents and inform decisions is oftentimes enough to elevate your program.
5. Take it One Date at a Time
Big visions are great, but real success happens in steps. Pick a few priorities or tasks, plan in short iterations, execute them well, learn, adjust, and repeat. There’s no need to rush—test and build something that will last. Go far, not fast.
At the end of the day, getting swoon-worthy data isn’t the ultimate goal—impact is. As nonprofit professionals, we are dedicated to our missions and recognize the importance of learning and understanding. To me, learning and understanding is quintessentially a data issue. Solving it just happens to cause swoon-worthy results.
If you want help or just want to discuss your data, let us know. Contact the leader of our nonprofit technology service, Jerusha Schmalzel at [email protected].
