Large NPO Engages 17K New Donors Monthly with Blackbaud Enterprise Fundraising CRM

The large nonprofit organization faced a variety of challenges tied to its organizational structure and data management practices including decentralized fundraising operations spread across individual chapters in all 50 states and numerous offices worldwide, making it difficult to implement cohesive strategies for donor engagement. The organization managed over nine million constituent records in the U.S. alone, further complicating efforts to segment donors effectively.

In addition, overlapping priorities between its IT teams and fundraisers created bottlenecks that limited the ability to fully utilize advanced tools and integrations. The inefficiencies hindered the organization’s ability to scale its donor engagement efforts, resulting in missed opportunities for building relationships with supporters who could drive its mission forward.

“Blackbaud Enterprise Fundraising CRM allowed us to centralize donor data and create a unified process and streamline our fundraising efforts across chapters while maintaining the flexibility to cater to local needs,” said the director of prospect development. “One of the most transformative aspects has been our ability to make smarter, data-driven decisions through actionable insights from the wealth screening and predictive analytics tools.”

By tapping into their software’s embedded wealth screening and predictive analytics, the organization was able to scale their operations effectively. Fundraisers have been able to identify major giving prospects, develop personalized outreach strategies, and allocate resources adequately. Regular data refreshes through Blackbaud Enterprise Fundraising CRM have enabled the organization to address its need for timely and actionable donor insights. These updates ensure that chapters across the country are working with the most current and relevant data, reducing inefficiencies and enabling more coordinated outreach efforts.

“With over 17,000 new donors each month, we depend on Blackbaud’s solutions to manage constituent data and empower fundraisers with actionable insights to ensure that fundraisers are targeting the right individuals at the right time,” added the associate director of prospect systems & information.

Enhancing Donor Engagement with Powerful Analytics

One of the organization’s greatest successes with Blackbaud’s software has been its ability to identify and cultivate relationships with potential major donors. By leveraging the embedded WealthPoint™ tool for publicly identifiable wealth data along with Blackbaud’s Affluence Insight™ predictive wealth segmentation, it screens new donors quarterly to uncover those with significant giving potential.

“The quarterly Affluence Insight screenings help us identify donors who might have started with a small gift but have the capacity to make a much larger impact,” said the associate director of prospect systems & information. “For example, even though the median first gift from major donors is $100, we’ve seen individuals who started with a $25 donation later become key supporters.”

Its use of these tools has also streamlined the identification of high-value donor segments. Screenings reveal critical insights on its 1.5 million active donors such as philanthropic tendencies, wealth indicators, and donor-advised fund participation, enabling fundraisers to prioritize their outreach. “The data we receive from Blackbaud plays a major role in identifying new prospects and driving those successes,” the associate director of prospect systems & information added.

Prospecting with Actionable Insights

The organization leveraged Microsoft Power BI to turn raw data into actionable intelligence. By creating dynamic dashboards and custom reports, they made it easier for development teams to identify prospects, track donor engagement, and evaluate fundraising strategies.

The associate director of prospect systems & information explained that they are transitioning their prospect identification reports into Power BI which will automate data updates, streamline workflows, and improve accessibility for their teams. “It’s all about making the process more efficient and user-friendly,” he said. “These reports help us identify the top two percent of high-value prospects from their new donor pool, saving fundraisers considerable time and effort.”

Additionally, WealthPoint’s real estate data has proven to be invaluable for identifying high-potential prospects. Fundraisers appreciate having insights into donors’ secondary properties, the associate director of prospect systems & information noted. His team recently ran a report that identified 35 donors with $5 million-plus capacity ratings and properties in Illinois. The WealthPoint real estate data played a key role in discovering these opportunities. By integrating this data into their prospecting process, the organization has been able to fine-tune their strategies, ensuring intentional and effective outreach to individuals with significant philanthropic capacity.

Fueling Fundraising Growth

Since implementing Blackbaud Enterprise Fundraising CRM, the organization has seen steady growth in major and principal gifts. Streamlined workflows, improved donor segmentation, and actionable insights have contributed to more effective fundraising outcomes. “Without the data we get from Blackbaud, our fundraising outcomes wouldn’t be anywhere near what they are today,” shared the associate director of prospect systems & information.

Looking ahead, the organization plans to expand its use of Blackbaud Enterprise Fundraising CRM to enable deeper insights into donor behavior and preferences. It also envisions a more cohesive approach to fundraising, with continued investments in centralizing processes and driving consistency and collaboration across chapters.

“With Blackbaud Enterprise Fundraising CRM, we are well-positioned to continue making data-driven decisions that empower our teams, inspire our supporters, and drive meaningful change for the planet,” said the director of prospect development.