Fundraisers have a bad habit of collecting data and then letting it lie fallow in their databases. It’s a symptom of overwork: For many fundraisers, data analytics still feels like a flashy nice-to-have that they’ll get to when — or if — the grueling pace of their jobs ever slows down.
But instead of thinking of data analytics as something to be done later, experts say, fundraisers should get in the habit of analyzing their data first. That early effort, they say, can lead to stronger and more consistent donor support over the long haul.
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Nonprofits can take the data they have already and help write a donor’s “origin story,” says Sam Venable, data intelligence project manager at fundraising technology provider Blackbaud. Much like superheroes, donors all have a story that offers a picture of who they are and why they’re connected to the organization.
To uncover that origin story, nonprofits need to think carefully about what data to track and make sure the information’s being collected properly. “Organizations need to outline a clear vision for how they want to use data and then make it an organizationwide priority so everyone knows their part,” says Rodney Grabowski, senior vice president for advancement and partnerships at the University of Central Florida.
“Data pieces that we track [include] attendance at events, attendance at meetings, status as volunteer,” Grabowski says. “So it requires everyone in the organization to understand what are our data needs.” Frontline staff must know which data they need to capture and where to enter it.
Because the entire team understands the goals of the data, they can also make recommendations on “what are the gaps and what are our data canyons — meaning we’re not even collecting this information.”
How to Unearth an Origin Story
The information for the origin story includes basics like name, contact data, and which events they’ve attended, but it’s crucial to also collect information about how they’re connected to the organization. Kari Bodell, vice president for development programs strategy at Susan G. Komen, who helps oversee walkathons, bike rides, and other events, likes to collect connection information when folks register.
The registration form asks why people are participating. Dropdown choices include strong ties, such as the registrant is a cancer survivor, as well as looser ties, like someone who came as part of an organized office walking team.
Another way to get at that connection information is surveys. “I always describe surveys as conversations at scale,” says Alex Oftelie, senior vice president of decision science at BWF, a fundraising consultancy.
Where data files show a particular donor’s preference for mail or online communications or how often that person gives, for example, surveys show how the donor is feeling. Pride, passion, identity, and awareness all determine a donor’s level of engagement with an organization, Oftelie says. Surveys help measure those metrics.
Unlike mass fundraisers, who rely on surveys to understand their donors, major-gift fundraisers have more opportunities for one-on-one discussions with donors. “Probably the richest source for all of that data is just a direct conversation,” Venable says.
He encourages fundraisers to ask donors about their hobbies or affinity to the mission. These questions identify areas of overlap — what Venable calls “relational anchors” — between the donor and the fundraiser, which will secure the relationship over time.
“We tend to think about data from a very narrow lens,” he says. “But, really, data is just a different way of representing facts about the world.”
Michal Heiplik, president of the Contributor Development Partnership group, works with public television stations whose members get access to PBS Passport, a streaming service. Fundraisers can match members with their streaming data to see what they like to watch, information that he says can help break the ice. “If I also know that they really, really care about this one show that public media brings them, then that really opens up the discussion when I’m in the first-time prospecting call with the donor.”
Once fundraisers have a clear picture of a donor’s origin story, they can use it to help move that supporter closer to the organization, says Bodell of Susan G. Komen. “When we can get more scientific and more deliberate about mapping their path in and then mapping what we want them to do next, we’ll have a stronger likelihood of being able to keep them engaged with the cause.”
