Don’t let your data gather dust

Look at data on a regular basis

In many voluntary sector organisations, people take a ‘file or forget’ approach to data. They spend time gathering and analysing data for a funder report or a board update, then the data is filed and forgotten. This is a waste of effort, and it means that strategic insights can be lost.

A much better approach is to look at a few key data points on a regular basis. Think about your core organisational challenges. What trends do you need to watch to ensure your work is on track?

Talk to your board, funders and other stakeholders to agree metrics and statistics that are useful and meaningful.

Help with choosing a database or CRM system

Lots of voluntary organisations are looking for guidance about which database or Customer Relationship Management system is best to use. There are lots of choices out there, but there is no ‘one size fits all’ product that works for everyone. To make a good database choice, you will need to spend a bit of time thinking about what you need to be able to do with your data. This detailed guide from Datawise London, aimed at smaller charities, is an excellent tool to help you through this process.