Article submitted by Dana Casimaty F.EdPlus, Director of Development, Redlands, NSW
In this case study, Dana explores the transformative impact of selecting the right Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system on fundraising efforts within educational institutions. She how examines how a well-implemented CRM solution can enhance donor engagement, streamline communication, and ultimately drive philanthropic success. The piece offers valuable insights for advancement professionals seeking to optimise their fundraising strategies through effective technology integration.
Which CRM system does your institution/ foundation currently use, and why did you choose this one over others?
Initially, we had Edumate, which provided donations history only. I soon realised (coming from a banking background) that a more sophisticated CRM was required, to help to accelerate engagement with our wider community. By way of researching the most effective CRM system for our institution, we looked at numerous metrics including prospect management, donor relations, events management, pledge management and appeal communications. After assessing three providers, we opted for Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge.
How does your CRM system support donor relationship management and track donations effectively?
Everything is allocated to a donor in historical sequence. We can track donations made by time, by constituent, by cause, and a variety of other metrics, depending on what is needed.
What are the key metrics displayed on your CRM dashboard that you find essential for decision-making?
There are several metrics displayed, but the most frequently used metrics are: Donations made by fund, comparisons with two previous years and donor retention.
What automations within the CRM have had the most significant impact on streamlining your team’s workload?
We are finding the automations increasingly useful and timesaving. We are currently using automations to allocate donations, book events, manage stewardship and even read emails.
How do automated workflows within your CRM assist in managing donor communication and engagement?
This workflow is managed through actions. These are specific to each team member, with a time to complete them by. This provides clarity of responsibility and is useful in ensuring appropriate resourcing.
How does your CRM help in segmenting donors for personalised outreach?
For every communication, we can generate a list with specific requirements, for example, last donation made or constituent type.
What role does automation play in improving the accuracy and timeliness of your data entry and reporting?
Automation has significantly reduced the possibility of human error, especially with the increased amounts of donations we are having to process. This, in turn, has led to increased efficiency in processing times, which has enabled us to leverage this time for completing other tasks
In what ways has your CRM system helped empower you for success in the outcomes of your fundraising campaigns and events?
One of the greatest improvements we have found is that we can run multiple efforts in parallel. For example, we are able to manage alumni relations, events and appeals concurrently.
Dana Casimaty F.EdPlus
Director of Development
Redlands, NSW
