Research…Informally and Formally
For many gift officers who work with donors and prospects, the idea of research is a quintessential part of their arsenal of items necessary to be effective. But as many people know, there are so many variants and levels of research to be considered… and how much of each level is appropriate. Add to that the constant battle to secure data, what you have is an inexact science with lots of security measures.
While I work in healthcare most often, I have clients in education and social services as well. Consistent across all sectors of the nonprofit world is the ever-increasing challenges of compliance and security. Allow me to say how much I believe in security and compliance because it protects all of us. But too much of it, even beyond what is legally required, puts handcuffs on nonprofits and their fundraisers. And that's what I'm experiencing with several clients.
As more and more data breaches occur, compliance and legal gets more conservative. And because there is a natural disconnect of understanding about what philanthropy is and many times what's legal, compliance offices are holding data up. One example includes a recent conversation where the compliance office didn't understand why philanthropy and the foundation needed the appropriate “Mr. or Mrs.” (gender). It took several meetings to explain that when we send thank you notes and letters, it's pretty normal to have that information as a part of the salutation.
There's also the issue of how much research is actually needed for gift officers at any one time. I say constantly that a quick Google search and basic information quickly gathered from a CRM can carry a gift officer a long way in the initial discussions and conversations. We don't need that three- or five-page report until we get to the solicitation stage and the gift actually has some significance in terms of dollar value. That's when we begin a more detailed research perspective.
For more information on the details of research, check out a really good blog post by DonorSearch at https://www.donorsearch.net/prospect-research-ultimate-guide/.
In the end, we're going to have to continue to balance security with need. And details with appropriateness in terms of timing and their relationship building process. I always tell clients that it's a long struggle and that being a good partner with security and compliance can be your best friend when things go a little bit haywire.
