Keys to success with The Raiser’s Edge donor database
You need to get the best out of your donor database, while also keeping it up to date and secure. By making effective use of The Raiser's Edge database, you will serve your community more effectively.
To be effective at development, you need to set up, or clean up, the proper Constituent Codes to identify: the Board, staff, physicians, other employees, organizational and friend relationships, plus the Foundation, committees, volunteers, legal, banks, media, corporations, and solicitors.
Once your constituents are set up properly, and also set up with proper addresses and salutations, the relationships aspect of your community must be set up properly in The Raiser's Edge. The way you communicate with individuals, families and organizations reflects the high degree of dignity and respect that carries you and your organization forward with those you serve.
This helps you in every aspect of development, from sending out accurate mailings, to being successful in annual giving, campaigns and appeals, plus in tracking gifts back to constituents and appeals. And, to be effective in the overall stewardship of prospects, donors and their associates. And, in creating accurate reports and exports. How are we doing on new giving over the past five years? Or, exactly how does that Family or Foundation wish to be listed in their recognition (brick, wall, building, the Annual Report)?
Let's review our top 50 donors.
How did we do in the Donate a Brick appeal this year vs. last year? How is the Capital campaign for the new facility doing?
What about memorials this month? And total gifts?
Understanding the best ways to support your processes and goals
- Addressing immediate needs in your fiscal year, such as upcoming events.
- Discussing how you operate today, and what changes you need to make, i.e. processes.
- Selecting the right database solution based on your situation, needs and goals.
- Migrating databases.
- Knowing when and how to use optional modules, such as the Tribute module the Volunteer module.
- Deciding on how the organization will set up tables and use features consistently.
- Consulting on how a new system will interoperate with existing databases.
- Writing or updating policies and procedures (included in RightTrack Solutions training program).
- Training, consulting and assistance – both initial and ongoing.
Setting up the constituent database and system tables
- Coding constituents – As discussed above: Board, Staff, Doctors, Nurses, Social Workers, Counselors, Friends – individual and organizational.
- Segmenting constituents, based on levels of giving, or other factors that you determine.
Getting the most of of your development programs at the facility, and in the community
- Stewarding constituents - over the long term.
- Encouraging Planned Giving, such as Life Insurance or Bequests.
- Managing gifts of property, such as stocks or real estate.
- Honoring constituents - such as with the Tribute module.
- Cultivating constituents, especially relationships.
- Setting up campaigns, funds and appeals.
- Leading Capital Campaigns, such as building a wing or facility.
- Growing the Annual Fund to sustain operations.
- Establishing or growing a major gifts program.
- Sending out packages to constituents - for appeals, such as an end-of-year appeal.
- Managing events. The Candle Lighting. Dedications, honors, memorials.
- Recognition: Whether with a memorial, or as a recurring gift from staff or donors in the community.
- Setting up a Recurring Gift Program, so that Staff can give monthly.
- Supporting Matching Gifts.
- Entering and acknowledging pledges and gifts in a timely manner.
- Supporting naming opportunities, such as a new facility.
- Offering online giving, through any of various secure web portals.
- Accepting Gifts in Kind.
- Acknowledging donor gifts through recognition - in a timely manner.
Monitoring and reporting development progress
You will gain greater visibility into your database, and your progress:
Monitoring progress through dashboards - check status at a glance.
Reporting such as giving by constituent segment, or for the Annual Report.
- Exporting data for analysis and sharing - to finance and other departments.
Integrating The Raiser’s Edge with other systems
- Integrating with The Financial Edge.
- Integrating with other systems and databases.