Nonprofit Supporter Data Is More Prevalent Than Ever: Here’s How to Properly Use It

Keeping track of the donors who support your nonprofit has never been easier thanks to Raiser’s Edge software and other data management programs. Whether people donate money, products, or time, you can use their information to promote your nonprofit’s continual growth. Here’s how to make the most of your supporter data.

How to Use Donor Data To Identify Prospective Recurring Donors

Once you’ve collected plenty of data about your donors, you can use it to flag sponsors who are likely to support your nonprofit again. Look through your database to see how often each donor has supported you. For donors who have given multiple times, do they have a personal connection to your nonprofit? For example, if you run an organization that helps kids whose parents are terminally ill, philanthropists whose parents have passed away are likely to empathize with your mission.

When you’re conducting salesforce donor management, you should also look at the size of your donors’ gifts. While huge gifts are helpful at the time, unless your donors are very wealthy, they’re unlikely to be repeated. Gifts that are sizable but within your donors’ normal budgets are more likely to happen again. 

Finally, look through your data for donors who left a note, signed up for your newsletter, or provided all of their contact information when they donated. Because these donors have made an effort to stay in contact with you, they’re more likely to give frequently. Use your nonprofit database management services to look for these signs, and then reach out to your donors about a second gift.

Use Donor Data to Gauge the Likelihood of Major-Gift Prospects

While small, regular gifts help you with the day-to-day costs of running your nonprofit, major gifts allow you to take on innovative projects without ruining your budget. For example, if you run an after-school music program for disadvantaged kids, small donations help cover rent, utilities, and teachers’ fees. Major gifts allow you to buy new instruments, expand your practice space, and save up for a performance venue. With the right donor data analytics, you can determine how likely you are to receive a major gift and start planning for it.

Look through your donor database and see what your donors’ careers are. If you have lots of supporters in high-paying professions, such as lawyers, doctors, and software developers, you’re more likely to receive a major donation. If you’re not sure how much someone makes, look for his or her job title on Glassdoor or LinkedIn to receive a salary estimate.

Donors who have given medium gifts regularly are likely to send large gifts if they receive bonuses or raises. Monitor the careers and giving schedules of donors who give more than $2,500 each year. Even if they give monthly instead of all at once, they could keep you in mind when they have extra funds.

Invest in donor database management software to keep track of donors who are likely to give multiple times or send major donations.