Lots of people have already weighed in on Blackbaud’s purchase of Convio (two of my favorites: http://www.frogloop.com/care2blog/2012/1/18/blackbaud-buys-their-rival-convio-now-what.html and http://nonprofit-force.org/2012/01/20/the-convio-blackbaud-merger-one-customers-perspective/). Here my perspective.  Disclosures: I have clients that use both companies’ products, as well as products from their competitors, open source products, and homegrown solutions. I don’t invest in these or other companies that I advise [...]

Tags: Advancement Services, Donor Databases, Fundraising, Nonprofit Technology, NTEN

NTEN just published a short piece of mine on data management in their Change magazine.  It’s in their DIY series — short tips for implementing something for your organization without extensive tech know-how or extra budget.  The topic they gave me was managing decentralized data entry.

Tags: Advancement Services, Donor Databases, IT Management, Nonprofit Management, Nonprofit Technology

I’m planning a new workshop on selecting donor databases, focusing on the question, “Why is this so friggin’ complicated?”  Some initial thoughts: The maxim “Fast, cheap, or good–pick two” is true. You want the technology to be forward-looking but also want to avoid shiny object syndrome. You want to make a reasonably quick decision but [...]

Tags: Advancement Services, Databases, Donor Databases, IT Management, Nonprofit Technology

A member of the PRSPCT-L listserve (for prospect researchers) asked “What do other institutions do to regulate or “police” data entry work, specifically when you have multiple users with authority to make updates?”  It’s a tough problem.  Here are a few approaches (other than locking down data entry): Policies. You need clear data entry standards. [...]

Tags: Advancement Services, Databases, Donor Databases

Idealware is updating its 2009 report on low-cost donor databases.  If you’re a database vendor and want to be considered, fill out the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RCHJNGC  I assume their criteria will be similar to what they used last time, which was a starting cost of less than $4,250 in the first year and at least [...]

Tags: Donor Databases, Software

I get a lot of emails like the following from small nonprofits: We desperately need to get a new donor database and most of them are totally unaffordable!! Looking at the Idealware Low Cost Database report, I find that there are so many considerations that it is quite complicated to make a choice. I am [...]

Tags: Advancement Services, Donor Databases, Nonprofit Technology, Software

Jay Love, the founder and CEO of eTapestry (and before that, of Master Software), is leaving Blackbaud to become CEO of Social Solutions: http://www.nptimes.com/10June/news-100608-2.html I spoke with Jay yesterday and he says that Blackbaud is committed to etapestry and will continue to invest in the product. Time will tell.  

Tags: Donor Databases

Yesterday I spoke on a fundraising panel at Compasspoint’s Silicon Valley/Peninsula Nonprofit Forum and mentioned a variety of resources. Here they are, with links: Donor Retention AFP’s Fundraising Effectiveness Project: http://www.afpnet.org/Audiences/ReportsResearchDetail.cfm?itemnumber=3113 The Agitator’s post “No New Donors!” http://www.theagitator.net/dont-miss-these-posts/no-new-donors/ Attracting New Donors “Homer Simpson for Nonprofits: The Truth about How People Really Think and What It [...]

Tags: Donor Databases, Fundraising, Social Media, Web 2.0

I received an email newsletter today with the following pitch for a web-based donor database (perhaps you can guess which one): The Cloud offers you constituent relationship management (CRM) software that’s less expensive, easier to maintain, more accessible, more intuitive, and with greater flexibility and capacity than you’ve ever seen before. How much would you [...]

Tags: Cloud Computing, Donor Databases, IT Management, Nonprofit Technology

I received the following email from Keith Heller, a database consultant who works with Raiser’s Edge and Common Ground clients: We’ve been involved with responding to many RFPs over the years and I have a general inquiry that is in your bailiwick. I often see RFPs that are quite lengthy and well-considered, and looking for [...]

Tags: Databases, Donor Databases, IT Management, Nonprofit Technology, Software