The Latest from our Team
Nonprofit Forecast: Advancement Services in 2019
Where We Are 2018 is a weird and wonderful time for advancement services. On the wonderful side, the industry's focus on new trends in data science, interoperability, social data management, and marketing automation have pushed advancement services into an...
read moreThe Fight for Data: Total Lockdown or Complete Chaos
Getting data (reports, queries, mailing lists, exports, dashboards, etc.) out of any fundraising system is a universal challenge in the nonprofit sector– regardless of the CRM system used. Pulling data accurately requires deep and specialized knowledge of the tools,...
read moreUser Acceptance Testing: Purpose & Impact
If you’ve ever implemented a new software application or a new customized feature in your current applications, you’ve most likely heard of User Acceptance Testing or UAT. In this first installment of our series on User Acceptance Testing, we’ll define it, explain its...
read moreCloud-based Solutions: Separating Fact from Fiction
Over the years, I've heard from a number of nonprofit clients expressing their desire to move to The Cloud to take advantage of Software/Platform-as-a-Service (Saas/PaaS) offerings. While these technologies are being marketed as the hip new thing, the concepts date...
read moreEndowment: The Legacy of a ‘Legacy System’
Your endowment system contains the most critical information about your most extraordinary donors– yet spreadsheets, homegrown databases, and paper files are often the only way to maintain records of the most influential [or most heavily restricted] gifts. So why is...
read moreDonors & Beneficiaries: Finding an Ethical Middle Ground
When I was in college, I had the opportunity to interview the director of a large museum in our area. One of the questions I asked was "What is the most difficult issue you face in your position?" and his answer has stuck with me all these years later. "When we have a...
read moreObjectivity: Consulting’s Core Value Proposition
One of the more common, humorous digs at consulting is that consultants ask you for your watch, and then tell you what time it is. Admittedly, this sort of thing happens too often. As a lifelong consultant and advocate for advancement services, I work hard to overcome...
read moreGo-Live is the Middle of the Race
I've always been a fan of the explanatory power of metaphors and similes, especially sports metaphors. "Crossing the finish line," "Being a good team member," "Handing off the ball" all make complicated things clearer (for me at least). So picture this: you have a...
read moreHappy 10th Anniversary to Blackbaud CRM
This month marks the 10th anniversary for the first Blackbaud CRM go-live! I can’t believe it's already been a decade since I celebrated the go-live of Blackbaud CRM (BBEC) with my friends at Heifer International. Since that time, Heifer has been joined by nearly 150...
read moreChange Management | The Path to Adoption
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead Nonprofit technology is an ever-moving target. With new tools, more sophisticated intelligence, and better processes...
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