The Best Strategies to Organize & Utilize Your Fundraising Data

When it comes to raising funds for your school, collecting and using fundraising data is an invaluable tool. Not only can this information help motivate students, families and donors, but the data you collect can also be used to ensure future fundraising success. While this may seem like an overwhelming task to get started, with the right approach, you can actually save valuable time and raise even more!

In this blog you will learn:

• What fundraising data you should be collecting.
• How to collect and organize the information.
• Tips on how to use the data you collect.

What Fundraising Data You Should Collect

Information about your donors.

From how much a donor gives to their geographic location to their profession, the more information you capture about each donor the better. Make sure to also collect contact information such as an email address and phone number.

Progress of your students and families.

During your fundraiser, track how engaged your students and families are. Collect key metrics such as how many emails or text are sent out to potential donors and how many donations are collected.

Fundraising data surrounding your campaign.

You, of course, should be tracking exactly how much money you raise as well as how much you spend. It is also helpful to collect more specific information about your donations such as did the majority of them come in at the beginning, middle or end of your fundraiser and what was the average size of each one. Equally important is tracking where you are successfully reaching your donors—social media, email or traditional marketing efforts such as flyers and posters.

Feedback from participants and donors.

Asking for feedback will provide you with crucial information about what did and did not work for your fundraiser as well as how the overall experience was for everyone involved.

How to Collect and Organize Your Fundraising Data

Create a shared drive.

This is a simple and free way to keep all of your fundraising data in one accessible place. Use shared spreadsheets and documents to take note of all the information you are collecting from each fundraiser. You can also create a master spreadsheet to compare data from multiple fundraising efforts.

Use an online fundraising platform.

An online fundraising platform is also an extremely cost effective option that can save you valuable time and actually helps you raise even more. Booster’s platform, MyBooster, has zero upfront costs and an option for donors to cover the platform fees as part of their donation. The platform includes up-to-the-minute fundraiser tracking, where you’ll be able to track daily pledge stats, the percentage of students that have pledged and registered, and pledges by sponsor type. It also keeps track of donor information. 

Use email tracking software.

This can allow you to plan out your emails, segment audiences and automate responses as well as track which emails are actually effective. This information can be extremely useful for future fundraisers!

Use Social media analytics.

Similarly, these resources can track your effectiveness on social media. These analytics allow you to measure the performance of your content and tweak your future content strategy.

Tips to Use Your Fundraising Data

• Set goals and share progress during your fundraiser. This will motivate your participants and attract more donors.
• Your fundraising data will help you to analyze the success of each fundraiser and identify strengths and weaknesses. Doing this will allow you to work smarter, not harder in the future!
• As you learn more about your donors, you can begin to segment them into groups with shared characteristics for a more targeted approach. For example, if you notice a trend of grandparents donating, create specific emails and other content that acknowledge their support of their grandchildren. This more personalized approach can result in more donations.
• Pay special attention to your repeat donors! Keeping track of your fundraising data will allow you to identify your loyal donors so you can reach out to them for future fundraisers. Make sure to acknowledge their previous contributions and to express gratitude.

Collecting and using fundraising data can take your fundraising efforts to the next level, helping you raise even more! By systematically collecting and utilizing data on donors, student engagement, campaign progress, and participant feedback, you empower yourself to make informed decisions that drive future success. Ultimately, the careful analysis of your fundraising data enables you to work smarter, identify strengths and weaknesses, and cultivate meaningful relationships with donors, fostering a culture of continued support for your school.