Effective data management for nonprofits

YOUR MISSION IS TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD.

OURS IS TO HELP YOU SUCCEED.

Effective Data Management for Nonprofits

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AgendaAbout UsData ManagementChoosing a System

Assess & Identify Prioritize & Map Decide

Takeaways

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Database Selection vs. Data Management

Data management is the process of collecting, organizing, and managing data as an important organizational resource

What is your end goal? Increase Capacity Track Outcomes Access to better information Consistency Basic infrastructure

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Data Management Plan

GoalsData Dictionary: types of data, definition,

sourceData Entry ProtocolsData PresentationData Security Data ArchivalRoles and ResponsibilitiesBudgetTraining and Review

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Assess organizational needs

RELATED TO:• Strategic goals• Technology systems• Processes• People

WHERE ARE WE NOW -> WHERE ARE WE GOING?

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Strategic planning

What are your plans to grow or change your client base?Any foreseeable organizational shifts?Any new alliances?Any environmental or political changes in the wind?Any imminent Leadership changes?Any funding changes? How do these translate to your

Fundraising strategy? Is your current technology stable, or should it be

reevaluated?How will any new technology serve your organization’s

vision? How will it enhance the community you serve?

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Technology systems considerations

Do an inventory of your current technology systemso In-house vs. Cloudo Servers ◊ File-sharing ◊ Email platform ◊ General office suite ◊

Tools and business software ◊ Databaseso How do various tools intersect? Is there data entry multiple times?o Do we connect electronically to any other organization?o Do we connect remotely?o Security and access control

Use strategic technology planning to drive your database selection process – not the other way around

Avoid too big and too small

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People

• What does the organizational chart look like? Staff Size?• What are current staff demographics? Their current adoption of technology and

tools? What kind of staff turnover do we face?• Is there a formal information technology structure with dedicated responsibilities?• What is the role of volunteers? Is there a dedicated volunteer coordinator?• What is the relationship with the donor and accounting responsibilities?• Is the ED on board for a project of this nature?

Define Project Roles Sponsor Owner Project Manager End Users

** Include staff who will be using the new database in the decision-making process **

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Processes

Fit the technology to how your work, not your organization to the technology

Clearly Define: Who What When How

Documenting current processes can help identify possibilities!

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• Be clear about where you want to go• Document specific needs and know order of

importance• Create a functional requirements outline

Prioritize & Map

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Functional Requirements

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Example: Requirements -Volunteer Management

Capture info around: Volunteer Profile Activity Tracking Labor/health and safety regulations Scheduling Communication: email/print Web integration/Online features Reporting & Exporting

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Review costs and trade-offs

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Software Considerations

Product vs. PlatformBuying vs. building your ownOpen source vs. proprietaryCloud-based vs. on-premiseIntegration$$

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Customization

Unique Attributes -High Cost

Standardization

“One Size Fits All” – Low Cost

How Unique are we?

What’s the balance?

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Total cost of ownership (TCO)

The software itselfNew hardwareStaff trainingOngoing maintenanceSupportData migrationCustomizationStaff downtime during conversionLost revenue from possible technical failures

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Research

• Talk to other nonprofits• Do online research at vendors website• Read reviews• Read discussion forum posts• What do your IT people think?• What do your internal stakeholders think?• Engage a consultant

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Resources

IdealWare: www.idealware.orgNTEN: www.nten.orgTechSoup: www.techsoup.org501 Commons: www.501commons.org

http://www.idealware.org/

http://www.nten.org/

http://www.techsoup.org/

http://www.501commons.org/

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• Narrow down the list -- which choices emerge as winners? Losers?

• Identify your top contenders • Contact vendors

• Requests for information vs. RFP

Decide

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Factors for vendor comparison

How long has the company been in business? What percentage of their customers are nonprofits? Any references for nonprofits they’ve worked with? Business stability and sustainability plans. Approach and staffing for implementation and data migration How to they provide maintenance services and what is the

cost? Do they provide guidelines for preparing or cleaning up

existing data before the transfer? What platforms do they focus on?

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Final steps

Compare responses from vendorsAsk the reps for software demonstrationsTake advantage of free demo versions and

trial accountsPilot the software

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Some database options*

Free – “like kittens!” Salesforce (10 licenses) CiviCRM Access** SQL**

Subscription based Blackbaud – Raisers Edge, eTapestry, Luminate SugarCRM Microsoft Dynamics Little Green Light Batchbook

…and many more

* Focused on nonprofits**Available to NPOs for reduced fees

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Some databases featured in 2011 NTEN survey*

Raiser’s Edge (from Blackbaud) Salesforce CiviCRM Convio Common Ground (acquired then retired by Blackbaud) Giftworks eTapestry Donor Perfect DonorPro Volgistics Volunteer Reporter DemocracyInAction Custom built software

* “2011 Nonprofit Data Ecosystem Survey”

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Volunteer Platform Grades from NTEN’s 2011 survey

Summary from Idealware-Techsoup’s “Consumer Guide to Software for Volunteer Management”

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Take Aways

Define the Objective: To create a Data Management Plan or choose a Database?

While choosing a Database - Assess the scope of organizational needs Identify technology goals Prioritize requirements Map out the needed software features Identify resources, both $$ and people Decide which solution is the best fit

In the end, it is always about people!

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http://www.501commons.org/services/technology-services/deep-dive-cohort

Each participating nonprofit will receive:• An assessment of the organization’s technology infrastructure and technology

usage• A key issues report and plan based on the assessment for more effectively

using technology to support the organization’s mission• Access to additional tech trainings offered by the HandsOn Tech Team and

skills-based volunteers

DEEP DIVE PROGRAM




Effective data management for nonprofits

Technology

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