Data and reports
Creative and effective use of data can transform your fundraising. This showcase features a range of case studies from organisations who are committed to making the most of their data. It also includes articles that show you how to get more from the data you hold. Finally, you will find pieces on fundraising data and benchmarking that could offer you useful information when planning future budgets and communications.
CDE project 3 section 3: Making it happen
by The Commission on the Donor Experience
We have seen that there are lots of things that you can measure, but you don’t have to measure them all. Just choose one!
Read moreCDE project 3 appendix 1: measurement of satisfaction and loyalty in action
by The Commission on the Donor Experience
There are several companies and a few charities who measure how their customers and supporters feel, using some of the tools we have outlined in this document or their own methodologies.
Read moreCDE project 3 appendix 5: Glossary and appendix 6: sources of further information
by The Commission on the Donor Experience
Glossary and Sources of further information
Read moreCDE project 3 appendix 4: survey findings
by The Commission on the Donor Experience
Fundraisers were surveyed about the extent to which the fundraiser measured how their donors feel, how they used the findings (if they did) and what barriers they have come across.
Read moreCDE project 3 appendix 3: sample questions
by The Commission on the Donor Experience
A quick Google search will bring up many sample questionnaires, but for ease we have included a couple here.
Read moreCDE project 3 appendix 2: frequently asked questions
by The Commission on the Donor Experience
In our research (see Appendix 4), several people mentioned barriers to measuring how their donors feel. This section lists the most common of these and gives our advice.
Read moreMusings of a direct response fundraiser no. 2: finding the ‘sweet spot’
by Jonathon Grapsas
Our job as fundraisers is to find the sweet spot: an amount that is appropriate to that donor at that time. In his second article on the musings of a direct response fundraiser Jonathon Grapsas shows exactly how to do it.
Read moreSt Michael’s Hospital Foundation: data-based planned giving campaign delivers heavenly results
by SOFII
St Michael’s Hospital Foundation’s in-depth analysis and profiling of their donor lists has gone a long way towards answering the oft-repeated question: are we marrying the needs of the donor with the needs of the cause in order to achieve a common goal?
Read moreThe great donor exodus, and what to do about it. A three-part series from Jay Love
by Jay Love
Jay Love’s revealing infographics have been setting American fundraisers alight recently, with good reason. Why do donors head for the exit? How does our sector’s attrition compare with customers of for-profit businesses? Do larger donors leave sooner? How many donors could you keep, if you just did some things differently?
Now on SOFII, widely respected data specialist and entrepreneur Jay Love explores these seemingly permanent hot topics with two generous helpings of practical advice all fundraisers could follow.
Read moreThe Salvation Army: UK Christmas appeal
by SOFII
Some donors have rational reasons for giving, some have emotional reasons and some go on a journey. Our strategy was to model this behaviour, to take the insight and analysis to new levels of understanding.
Read moreData is gold. But only if you can get to its real value
by Chuck Longfield
All fundraisers know that their data is valuable. All fundraisers know that developing an existing donor is many times less costly than recruiting a new one. All fundraisers know that fundraising should be integrated, that focusing on the donor is more appropriate than on the medium of communication, that...well, that there are a lot of things we all know full well but we still don’t do the right thing by them. Data is one of these, perhaps one of the most obvious and important.
Read moreWe can boost donor retention. But only if we get smart
by Chuck Longfield
Chuck Longfield created a SOFII classic with his last interview Data is Gold, providing SOFII readers with free access to real fundraising gems hidden within their donor files. Today SOFII enthusiastically adds part two, an in-depth conversation with Chuck that draws out five more golden nuggets of smartness.
Read more