The biggest challenge we have as fundraisers isn’t asking for money, it’s knowing who to ask in the first place. And to do that we need data. Lots and lots of (necessary) data. Data is central to everything you do – the who, what, and when. How it’s organized and maintained impacts your ability to close a gift and report on progress. In this blog post, we talk about the importance of data integration and how to do it successfully.

You’re probably not just keeping the data in one place.  Almost certainly you’re bringing it in from somewhere and exporting it out to somewhere else. This could be your email platform, your CRM, gifts from another fundraising site, or a wealth screening tool.  

Data management is critical to your fundraising program, so you can rely on even more tools and information to transfer everything where it needs to go. And every time that data gets moved or manipulated it increases its risk for inaccuracy. Limiting and mitigating it is crucial. To do that, we recommend that you integrate your data.

How to Get Started with Data Integration

The data falls into a structure that we can align to, albeit a massive one.  There are a lot of ways to define things within that structure, some good and some not so good; some confusing and complex,  some clear and achievable.  

So how do you simplify all that complexity? Start by asking the right questions to figure out what you need.

Define your Goals

• How do you want to use the information once you get it?  
• What do you want it to tell you? 
• What metrics are important to track program success? 
• Are you tracking the data points needed to report on those metrics? 

Document your tools

• What databases, services or systems are you using to store constituent or donor information?  
• Do you use any plug-ins or tools to get the info into or out of the system? 
• Are they secure and compliant?

Make a Workflow

• Using the tools you have, can you draw a workflow showing where the information is going to and coming from?  
• Where is your “source of truth” – the system responsible for all of your donor information?  
• Are there any gaps in your workflow – a tool you need, but don’t have? The knowledge, resources or staff to manage it?

Understand your Data

• Does anything need to be cleaned up, added or removed? 
• Are there any pain points that should be addressed first? 
• Is there sensitive information that should be masked, removed or encrypted?

Decide How to Maintain

• Do you have a scheduling or project management tool to track your data management and transfer activities? 
• What staff are responsible?  
• How often is each piece reviewed?  
• Are there any new components that should be added or adjusted?

Data management can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be.  By investing the time to structure how it flows and stays accurate, you’ll be asking the right people, at the right time, with the right tool. And most importantly, you’ll raise more money while spending less time managing how to get it. Stay tuned for more blog posts about data integration! Get in touch with us today for recommendations on how proper, accurate data management can boost your fundraising program.

Written by: Danielle Lavon