Tag Archives: Robert Weiner

How Reliable Is Your Data?

Leave a reply

When you report on your nonprofit data, do you feel confident that it is accurate?  Some quick tips:

  1. Where is your data entered?  Although you may have a central database, staff may also enter information in personal spreadsheets, databases or even handwritten notes.  You probably won’t find out unless you take the time to ask pointed questions and observe the data entry process.
  2. What type of data validation is available?  Especially if much of your data is stored in spreadsheets, there may not be any data validation in place, or it may be easy to inadvertenly change a formula without realizing there is a mistake.
  3. Do you provide ongoing training and support on your system?  Doing a few introductory sessions when a new database is rolled out isn’t sufficient.  You may find that the system that was provided a short while back no longer meets your users’ needs.
  4. Do you provide mostly drop down list of choices for your questions, or do you include many open ended or ‘notes’ fields?  Placing too much information in ‘notes’ will be a nightmare when you’re ready to run reports to analyze whether your program has met its objectives.
  5. Do you have a way to set security levels for different users – and do you promptly remove accounts for staff who have departed?  Many nonprofits don’t.

At my organization, as part of our Technology department, I work jointly with colleagues from the Research group since we share a desire to report on good data.  We regularly visit our sites to review data entry practices and recommend ways to improve data integrity.  We also explain why it is often preferable to enter data into shared databases instead of multiple spreadsheets. (Here’s a brief presentation that compares both tools.  Also see Robert Weiner’s blog post, Reigning in Shadow Databases and Laura Quinn’s insightful article, In Search of Better Data About Nonprofits’ Programs.)

Can you reply on your nonprofit’s data?

The Death of Common Ground

I’ve worked with Convio’s software, but its most interesting product in recent years has been Common Ground, which unlike Luminate, uses Salesforce as the back end platform.  Salesforce is a terrific product, provides great connectivity to other software and can be configured with many add-ons to meet specific organization requirements.

When Blackbaud announced it was acquiring Convio earlier this year, I thought for sure they would consider Common Ground the prize, as it provides online functionality that is missing from many of Blackbaud’s core products. I also appealed to Blackbaud to be thoughtful about how it choosed to go forward with Convio’s products and staff.

But now, it turns out, Common Ground is dead, and maybe Luminate will be next.

My friend and colleague Robert Weiner has posted a very informative blog post which includes many insightful comments – make sure to read Tompkins Spann’s explanation of the history and different versions of Common Ground.  Groundwire has also responded as has Cloud for Good and the Salesforce Foundation.  Blackbaud is also offering a Common Ground Town Hall to discuss its upcoming retirement of this product.

I’m disappointed that Blackbaud has made this decision, especially since it has had such a good record in the past of continuing to support products that it has acquired.  If your nonprofit is affected, take your time before choosing your next step.  If possible, consider staying with Salesforce, which isn’t going anywhere and continues to have the support of a company which has always been a strong supporter of the nonprofit community.

Maybe not coincidentally, Gene Austin, former Convio CEO, has announced that he is leaving Blackbaud.  Thanks for your great work in building Convio, Gene, and best of luck in your future endeavors.

Update 9/19/12 – Blackbaud’s Luminate and Luminate CRM products use Force.com and Salesforce respectively on back end.  Blackbaud also hosted an informative town hall session last week to discuss its decision to retire Common Ground.  Listen to recording here, also read updates in Robert Weiner’s blog and in Blackbaud’s Connection Cafe.

Update 9/21/12 - Had a lengthy conversation with Steve MacLaughlin at Blackbaud;  he hopes to provide a diagram soon to clarify the relationship between Luminate Online (formerly Convio COM), Luminate CRM (renaming of Common Ground product released in 2008) and ‘new’ Common Ground released in 2011 (only Convio product that is being retired.)

New ePhilanthropy Resources From Around the Web

Do you take the time to analyze how long visitors stay on your web site, and what paths they take?.  Try these 14 free tools to find out why they leave.  Crazy Egg  is especially worth looking at, even though it now has a small monthly cost.  

Many nonprofits are still unsure about how to approach social media.  Wild Apricot’s blog offers encouragement in how to create a social media policy

Want some real statistics in how nonprofits are faring during these rough economic times.  Review Target Analytics Index of National Fundraising Performance as well as The Agitator’s quick review of its findings.  Why do you think animal welfare and environmental organizations are doing better than others?

Steve MacLaughlin offers an interesting look at 2008 Online Giving Trends,  including more reasons to use a multi-channel fundraising approach.

Need more reasons to pursue or enhance an online fundraising policy at your nonprofit?  Robert Weiner has many great resources to support your case.

Finally, Jeff Patrick at Common Knowledge offers an analysis of Mission Inspired Gifts, a combination of fundraising and ecommerce which may be worth trying at your organization.  In a webinar earlier this week, Jeff explained how the messaging is critical in telling donors exactly how their funds will be used.

Random Thoughts at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year since it encourages us to stop and think about what is already wonderful about our life.  No matter what is happening (or not happening) in your life, feeling grateful is probably the best way to bring more good things to you.  I hope this weekend has given you an opportunity to focus on what is already good, not on what you don’t currently have.  Everyone is blessed in different ways, although sometimes we are too ‘busy’ to recognize it.

Answr.net is an interesting new resource which offers best practices in nonprofit technology.  The first ‘channel of focus is email outreach – read some questions submitted so far.

As a follow up to my previous post about going forward with online communication despite the financial meltdown, Robert Weiner offers links to several articles about how nonprofits can survive the economic downturn.  Guidestar also has released a recent survey which offers comparisons between 2007 and 2008 giving levels.

Nonprofit Times offers a look at microblogging, as well as an interesting look at how to plan to utilize social networking tools.

Finally, Nten has released a Donor Management Software Satisfaction Report, which is worthwhile reading for anyone who is considering a change in CRM platform.  Some of the top rating products may be some that you’re not familar with, such as GiftWorks (which I’ve used and can recommend) and Neon CRM.