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Aug 26, 2024
Leveraging Fundraising and Donor Data: Tips from the Experts
Feeling drowned by data? With nearly three out of four organizations being concerned about their long-term sustainability, understanding the makeup and motivations of donors is more important than ever.
We’ve brought together a panel of partners, ready with ideas to help your team understand the importance of analyzing their past campaigns and events.
We asked our panel, “How should organizations use their donor and fundraising data to impact giving?” Experts from our on-site event management, donor engagement, and marketing partners shared tips for data collection, auction planning, stewardship, and more.
With the right donor segmentation plan in place, you’re sure to deepen your donor relationships, stabilizing revenue and increasing growth as you refine your strategy.
Better nurture and engage your donors with GiveSmart’s Go-To Guide for Donor Segmentation
One of the most critical pieces of data an organization can access is an individual's employer information, directly impacting their potential for matching gifts. That's why it's recommended to have donors supply the names of their employing companies directly within the giving process itself.
From there, you have the information to segment your database according to donors' matching gift eligibility, enabling increasingly targeted outreach and tailored communications. For example, you'd send John Doe, who works for Home Depot, a link to his program guidelines and online submission forms with encouragement to follow the outlined steps to request a match. Meanwhile, Jane Smith, whose employer does not yet match gifts, would receive information about how she can advocate for the company to launch such a program.
Organizations should be analyzing metrics such as average donation amount, auction item success rates, top contributors, and the distribution of giving levels to help them be strategic when planning silent and live auctions, instant items, and other fundraising components.
The goal is to create an event experience that resonates with your attendees, encouraging them to contribute in ways that feel most comfortable to them. Remember, every contribution counts, and understanding your audience through data can maximize the impact of their giving.
Nonprofits should use donor data for communication purposes after the event and throughout the year to keep people engaged. Storytelling with impact data in solicitation materials and at your events can help sustain giving all year long.
One of the biggest hurdles a nonprofit has to overcome is getting past the ideology of "but this is the way we've always done it."
Taking a hard look at fundraising data can let an organization know where their money is coming from and allow them to see if their choices are working. If you do a golf tournament every year that barely brings in donations, is it worth continuing or is there possibly a better event to engage donors and your community to go in that slot?
As you look to better strategize your donor engagement, turn back to these expert tips from our panel of partners for inspiration.
At GiveSmart, we’re grateful to power thousands of donations annually. Check out how our donor management software best supports your nonprofit’s donor stewardship and retention.
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