Ops Insights #094 - Data Trust, Have a Merge-a-Palooza
July 22, 2026 | Read Time: 2 minutes | Written by Jenny Kleintop
When we do outreach to our donors and prospective donors, the details matter. The details and inclusivity matter, especially when multiple household members have a connection to you.
> If we send two mailings to the same household addressed to the same person, it’s wasteful.
> If we send two mailings to the same household addressed to the same couple, it’s wasteful.
> If we send two mailings to the same household addressed to two different people who are a couple, it’s wasteful.
> If we send a mailing to a household addressed to only one person when both names were on the last donation, it can be offensive to the excluded person.
All this leads back to the data integrity in our fundraising database. We have donors call us to complain, or worse, decide not to give again. Therefore, our leaders and team members lose trust in our data.
Let’s fix this. Start with those duplicates. No matter how high that mountain is, make a plan, find a way, and get it done. This is how we regain trust, and when there’s trust, there’s better fundraising.
If that’s not convincing enough, consider it like this: Completing a data integrity project like this strengthens the connection with your donors and potential donors, as it shows people you care to know them and their preferences.
Take Action
Here’s a path to tighten up your data integrity:
1 ➡ As a first pass, utilize the duplicate checker tool in your database to see how many dups you have.
2 ➡ As a second pass, pull a list of all names and addresses (single records/rather than head of household). Do a partial match on street address and 5-digit zip to find duplicate records.
3 ➡ Launch a merge-a-palooza initiative to clean up records with super users, volunteers, interns - make it a party and make it clear how many each person should complete and by when. Put a clock on it.
Added bonus: In your next mailing or thank-a-thon, ask how people want to be addressed. This strengthens the connection, as it shows people you care to know their preferences.
👋 See you next time,
Jenny
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