The Cool and Inspiring World of Data

Data, in the context of philanthropy and fundraising work, is something you don’t appreciate until you don’t have it. Or at least until you don’t have good data. Or accurate data. It’s almost as if you take it for granted. And if you’ve never had it, the good stuff, you don’t even realize what you’re missing. Between a client experience and a recent article, that’s become evident.

Data means so many things to so many people. It includes what’s in our CRM. It includes what we can acquire from outside entities. It includes what we experience personally. The key is how it is stored and what you do with it.

The stored part is usually the problem. If an organization doesn’t input its data correctly, in the right field, and in the right way, getting it out is nearly impossible. Well, at least predicting and having accurate results is REALLY difficult. That’s the case I’m having with a current client. Over the years, one person decided to put the data in “her” way. The problem is that it wasn’t correct. It’s filled with challenges, issues, contradictions, etc. And then she left the organization.  And for the work I’m doing, it’s causing an immense problem for me to give accurate and appropriate analyses and predictions. Processing and protocols on how to put data “in” is so important and executing on them is even more so.

In the same vein, if you have great data and don’t use it then it’s wasted. That’s what a recent article in the Nonprofit Times talks about. And it’s so true. We use so little of the total data that we could to be more effective and efficient. So much more behavioral and personal data is accessible, almost too easily. It can help guide so many decisions on prioritizing opportunities.

It’s not the most discussed or appealing subject to many. But data, when used and collected appropriately, could be the difference maker for success for nonprofits and nonprofit employees.