We live in a world with ubiquitous data, but the real value lies in analyzing information and making it actionable.

At NextGen, we channel the advice of our CEO Tim Oleary’s mentor, Harris Ravine: our focus for clients is not building a data-driven program but, rather, information-driven programs. 

Many nonprofits spend exorbitant amounts of money on new database systems or CRMs in the hopes that access to more data will automatically make them more strategic and efficient at building donor relationships and raising revenue.

No doubt about it, technology is an important piece in achieving those goals. But the reality is that staff structure and skill sets; attainable goals and metrics; and a true vision for how to gather business intelligence that will inform good decision-making are equally, if not more, important.

In March of 2020, several of our clients in the same sub-sector were concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their monthly renewal programs.  

We looked at the numbers and saw declines in response, prompting us to include special messaging inserts and incorporate more frequent digital touchpoints.  

By adding in the extra messaging and additional digital communications, we were able to garner a full year-over-year lift of nearly 8% in gross revenue.  

At the time, we knew it was important to respond quickly, examine the data, and put a plan into action. In subsequent months, we were able to further customize our approach as we realized a stronger response for mid-level giving as compared to annual giving. 

When you are thinking about big data and how it can make your marketing and fundraising programs stronger and allow you to pivot in response to external events, we hope you’ll incorporate the NexGen approach and focus on building an internal infrastructure and philosophy that supports data analysis and actionable intelligence. 

Let NextGen Help

NextGen built a proprietary fundraising analytics program called Donor Insight Gateway™ (DIG) to analyze campaign results and donor giving trends for our clients. We’re able to build accurate projections and action plans based on those findings.

Our team of experienced fundraising consultants can help you design a true business intelligence roadmap across your marketing and fundraising efforts and analyze performance across myriad metrics and segments. Contact us today.