Using fundraising databases
for prospect research
George Overton
george.overton@mndassociation.org
0116 237 4543
1 November 2010
What we’ll cover
• Why use your database to monitor your
effectiveness?
• How to use your database to monitor your
effectiveness
• How & what to present to others
(a personal view)
Why use your database to monitor
your effectiveness?
•
Because you’re asked to
•
Because you need to
2 ways to monitor effectiveness
quantity
quality
Measuring quantity (1): stats re
prospect researcher activity
• Reports/profiles – number of & time taken
– For management
– Internal
– Event summaries
– Off topic
Measuring quantity (2): stats re
prospect research data input
•
•
•
•
•
Whether a prospect is new to the pool
Wealth indicators
Gift estimate
Ratings
Relationships to individuals &
organisations
• Anecdotal information
• Other coding
Measuring quantity (3): stats re
moves management
• Which stage of fundraising cycle
• Interactions
– Pending, completed & overdue
– Who, where, what, when
• Pool & caseload management
• Recommendations to move prospects to
priority caseload
Not many ways to measure quality
1. Were the right donors researched?
2. Were they researched at the right time?
3. Was the right amount suggested?
4. Other measures, e.g. anecdotal feedback
•
“Thanks for the talking points you provided – it really
helped that I knew in advance Mrs Smith has an
interest in gundogs when conversation turned to it”
What you shouldn’t record
• Data protection
– Sensitive data
– Limited purposes
• Copyright
• Rule of thumb
Drawbacks to using statistics
Chapters include:
• The well chosen
average”
• The gee whiz graph
There are three kinds of
lies: lies, damned lies,
and statistics
There are two kinds of
statistics: the kind you
look up and the kind you
make up
96% of statistics are
made up
Got to be strategic
•
Organisational mission
•
Organisational strategy
•
Fundraising strategy
•
Prospect researcher
appraisal
•
Prospect researcher
objectives
The right message
• Prospect research is an investment that is
bringing positive results:
– Prospect researcher did x to help bring in £y
major donor income this year
– Prospect researcher did x to support long
term major donor income generation
– … which has helped the fundraising strategy
meet the organisational strategy and mission
My personal recommendations
1. Record everything
2. Monitor & present only 3 to 5 things
•
•
•
•
•
Mission related
Which help you tell a true story
Which make you look good
At least 1 about quality not quantity
At least 1 anecdotal
What about ROI & benchmarking?
ROI
• Difficult to do in
isolation
• Better to include in
wider ROI exercises
Benchmarking
• You can only
benchmark if at least
2 organisations are
producing the same
figures
Exercise
• How might you now use your database to
monitor your effectiveness? What could
you monitor & how would you present it?
– Groups of up to 25 people, grouped if
possible by who uses what database
– Committee members to lead groups, make
notes & write up notes
• Return at 14.20 for questions and
conclusion
How do you measure effectiveness
of pots and pans and gas stoves in
the kitchen of a fancy restaurant?
They’re tools necessary to do the
job. When business is good,
nobody questions the relative
efficiency of a gas stove.
Any questions?
George Overton
george.overton@mndassociation.org
0116 237 4543
1 November 2010