Consistent and regular maintenance on your nonprofit’s donor database is crucial to using donor information as effectively as possible.

Your donor database is like a complex machine; without periodic checks, an unexpected issue is more likely to arise, but if you make sure that each part of the machine is working properly on a regular basis, the machine is more reliable and safe.

The same logic can be used for your database. Doing routine checks and upkeep on your donor database will help your nonprofit avoid errors.

The more organized your donor database, the better you will be able to keep in contact with your donors, and the better relationship you will foster with these potential long-term supporters.

To make sure you make the best use of your donor information, use these five tips to ensure that your database is clean, error free, and ready to go with the most up-to-date information.

TIP 1 - KEEP TRACK OF WHICH DONORS HAVE BEEN ACTIVE WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS

If there are donors on your list who have not donated or been actively involved with your nonprofit within the past two years, take them off of your donor list.

This can be a difficult move to make, especially if your database is small, but if someone has not donated or been in contact with your nonprofit within this span of time, it is likely that they will not donate again.

Remove these records from your database and use your time and energy to focus on people who have been active recently. Only allow exceptions for board members, past employees, and current/past volunteers of your nonprofit.

You may choose to reach out to these donors one last time before removing their information from your database by making a phone call or sending a final follow up email, but if no response comes from these final attempts, there is no reason to keep their information.

Purging your database of inactive donors will free up space for future donors.

TIP 2 - MAKE SURE YOU HAVE UP-TO-DATE HOME AND EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR YOUR DONORS

Making sure that you have an updated address for donors is crucial to keeping your donor database tidy, especially if you are sending out direct mail.

Use services such as the National Change of Address (NCOA) at least once a year to keep up with current home addresses. This is a tactic that can save you a significant amount money, depending on the size of your database.

It is common for people to have more than one email address, but this can lead to a surplus of contact information for a given donor and open to door to potential confusion.

Ask your donors which email they prefer to use, and then get rid of any extras.

TIP 3 - PINPOINT YOUR AVERAGE DONATION AMOUNT

Identify the donors who give above and below the average gift amount for your nonprofit, and then separate the two groups so that you can give them each a different kind of attention.

Target both groups separately, encouraging each group to give above the amount they did in the previous year.

This identification process allows you to segment your donors based on their donation history, and then approach each group with a strategy that is more personalized to their history of previous giving. 

TIP 4 - GET RID OF DUPLICATE INFORMATION

One of the easiest ways to clean up your donor database is to identify duplicate information and then clear it out.

Having more than one person entering data into your donor database can often lead to duplicate information, and by going through your database every six months to search for duplicates, you can make sure your database only has the information that it needs.

TIP 5 - HAVE DETAILED AND SPECIFIC DATA ENTRY PROCEDURES

Data entry can seem like a simple process, but if there are not well-organized procedures and standards for entering donor data, your database can become a chaotic debacle of donor information.

Make sure your data entry specialist uses a systematic process for entering each piece of information into your database, and if there is more than one individual managing data entry, having one clear method is even more important.

A universal process for data entry is key to consistent organization so it is important to train each database manager in this process.

Having one specific method for entering a home and email addresses, donation history, demographics, etc., will keep your database well structured and maintain accuracy.

Your donor database serves as the main memory system for your nonprofit, and having a clean and well-organized system could be the difference between a successful nonprofit and one that falls short of what it aims to achieve.

Working hard and working smart go hand-in-hand, especially when running a nonprofit, and working smart starts with having a donor database that is precise and efficiently set-up.