“In a business based on relationships, organizational memory represented by its data sources – including electronic, print files and staff memory – is a critical business asset.”
(Brandstrom & Mallabone, 2011)
Effective data management is critical to every organization – no matter the size. Whether you are starting from scratch and currently have no system, or are working with a well-oiled machine, understanding the principles and best practices of data management will set you and your organization up for success.
A database serves many different functions in an organization. Over time, as your organization experiences staff turnover, the database serves as the reservoir of institutional memory. Knowing who your donors are, why they give, and how they found you in the first place is very important information. Without this information, stewarding donor relationships, building your donor list and ensuring that the information you have is factual, up to date and complete will be more challenging.
Many organizations do not always have a flawless database, complete with a manual of best practices and a common vocabulary. However, no matter what state your organization’s data is currently in, it is important to leave the donor records in a better state than you found them. Not only can a database support your development activities including tracking of donor activity, stewardship, pledge management, receipting and online giving, just to name a few, but it can also be a powerful tool for analyzing your donor base to improve your success rate, financial reporting, communications, as well as event management and mailings.
Ensuring you have a set of guidelines for data entry is paramount. There are a number of questions to consider when developing these guidelines. For example, where does this information go? What format should it be in? What information needs to be searchable? Consistency becomes even more important if you have more than one person responsible for maintaining the database.
Whether you are a small volunteer run organization or a large national non-profit, investing in a data management system is always a sound investment. When selecting software, there are a variety of options available depending on your organization’s needs, size and budget.
For more information about Data Management Systems, contact The Dennis Group Inc.
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