Major Donors: Finding Big Gifts in Your Database and Online

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For those nonprofit managers new to the basics of data mining and predictive modeling, this book is a good, concise guide to the basics; and it places the process of donor-data analysis within the context of other major-donor prospecting methods. The second pages of this page guide compensates for the first part. It did teach me some interesting techniques - which have not become part of my common practices - for gathering real-time information about funding opportunities, both individual and institutional.

This was one major new insight for me: The issue of real-time fundraising research is a huge one. I was aware and engaged in that practice, but had not yet articulated it.

The standard grant-seeking and wealth databases spit out information that is already obsolete, because of the time sometimes two-three years required to compile millions of data points, based on public records. Moreover, foundations and other grant-makers are not beholden to the philanthropic fields of interests, geographic parameters and other criteria used to search these databases for potential funders; so the information is not only too old These databases are best used as secondary and historical resources only.

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To make the best use of this book, I decided to make a top-ten list of the most-useful takeaways - the ones that are not too expensive to implement and viable to most nonprofits with one or two exceptions worth mentioning because of their potential. It is so incredibly simple to sign up for Google alerts and news. It took me two minutes.

You simply enter you email address and key words e. With the right keywords, you should start to receive useful, actionable opportunities in real-time. I am plugging one of my business lines here, but I am also directly referencing an important insight from the narrative page The internet has made it possible for small, boutique fundraising research and donor profiling companies to produce quality donor profiles at a fraction of the cost, otherwise spent by major nonprofit institutions with in-house development research departments.

We can bring these vital techniques and strategic guidance to nonprofits traditionally excluded from the best research tools, because of staff and budgetary constraints. The RSS readers makes it possible to receive website information in real-time from an RSS-equipped website, as soon as it is updated. What a great, FREE way to track your favorite prospects! It looks daunting and technical if you simply click the RSS link on the website, but don't worry about that.

To make it so much easier, there is a long list of RSS news readers and aggregators that translate the XML language for you. This strategy is relatively easy to put in place for smaller sites , but its high-maintenance on the back-end, requiring the constant attention of development staff.

It can also help to identify major gifts prospects online and provide them with fresh, engaging content, tailored to their unique interests. In simplest terms, it combines a content management system, with an integrated constituent management system. In other words, your website appears different to each viewer, depending on what interests them most about your nonprofit!

The best analogy is how amazon. Its technical details are beyond the scope of this article. In simplest terms, the prospect begins to receive the kinds of information about your work most likely to keep her engaged. This strategy complements number four 4 above.

It invites the major-gift prospect to join an exclusive, members-only section of the site by completing a questionnaire that provides even more specific information about her interests in the organization. This portion of the site might include a planned-giving calculator, instant chat applications with major-donor officers, invitations to exclusive events, testimonials from other major donors, and opportunities to contribute at major-gift levels.

Knowledge Sharing is a business concept, pioneered by companies like Oracle. It requires an intranet, where employees are mandated or receive incentives to record what they have learned about prospects, donors and other pertinent topics, several times each week. It eliminates the silos of institutional knowledge that often create internal confusion, alienate important prospects, and force employees to reinvent the wheel.

Major Donors

This content is searchable through a secured, password-protected portal; so qualified employees can locate vital information and solutions to common problems otherwise lost to staff turnover. As a major-gifts tool, I imagine, it primary benefit is that any staff person can relate to a major-gift prospect, with the right information at their fingertips.

If you question the value of this strategy, please consider the amount of institutional memory -and the related opportunities and information that disappears - with employee turnover. The best-kept secret in search-engine optimization is blogging. As you continue to add meaningful content to your site each day, the more attractive you become to search engines.

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Beyond the obvious benefits of SEO, consider this example. Your nonprofit's program administrators blog their success stories each week I am diverging a bit here. The book never mentions Facebook, but it does touch on the topic of converting online prospects into donors. I have discovered that social media is a great tool for audience development, but the question still lingers: In and of itself, its not a real strategy.

Major Donors: Finding Big Gifts in Your Database and Online

The next step is to create an intimate event, invite your online audience, entertain them with food and wine; so they can get to know you. Its still boils down to Are you a museum, theater or historic landmark? Video tours of your exhibits, performances and other attractions are the best online promotional strategies. In fact, videos are the most-viewed content on the Internet - so take advantage of it! You absolutely, cannot and never will automate the entire major gift identification, cultivation and solicitation process.

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View online Borrow Buy Freely available Show 0 more links Related resource Table of contents only at http: Set up My libraries How do I set up "My libraries"? These 5 locations in All: Federation University Australia - Gippsland campus library. Open to the public.

Major Donors by Ted Hart

Gardens Point Campus Library. Open to the public ; University of Queensland Library. Open to the public ; HV M34 Book; Illustrated English Show 0 more libraries These 2 locations in Queensland:

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