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For leaders and ops team members at small to midsize nonprofits to get guidance, uplifting, and resources for philanthropy data, database, and operations.
Ops Insights #046 Interview Questions You Can Use
When looking for someone to join your team on the data, database, and operations side of the house, looking for someone who understands not just the database, but who understands people, data, and processes. You want someone who can sit as a trusted partner side-by-side with frontline fundraisers and talk about strategy and how the data and database can support the frontline strategies, but also can dive into the weeds and get things done. To find this person, let’s give you some interview questions you can use during interviews.
Ops Insights #045 Hire an Ops Professional Not a Database Admin
When looking for someone to join your team on the data, database, and operations side of the house, you want someone that understands philanthropy operations and can partner positively with the frontline. You do not want someone who only understands database administration and prefers to be isolated in the data or behind a computer.
We will talk through why you need an operations professional over a database admin and what to look for when you are interviewing.
Ops Insights #044 Become a Futuristic Fixer
This edition is for my data and ops peers who are early to mid in their career and want to grow in their role by being a trusted go-to colleague. As we kick off summer and transition into new routines, I’ve been extra observant of who is a fixer. Let’s talk about the types of fixers, why you want to become a futuristic fixer, and steps you can take to get there.
Ops Insights #043 Help Fundraisers Embrace the CRM
I’ve seen fundraisers who embrace the CRM database successfully enter their activity into the CRM, which feeds into the reports to show increased philanthropy results. Being able to show results helps the entire team articulate their effectiveness better. Let’s talk about the 3 steps to make this happen.
Ops Insights #042 Reasons I Write for You
👋 Hi, I’m Jenny. Your personal guide, coach, and mentor for nonprofit data, CRM databases, and operations → Philanthropy Operations, also known as advancement Services, Development Operations, or Philanthropy Services, is the foundational structure that supports all fundraising efforts. For me, I am extremely passionate about philanthropy operations and helping you. I write for you. As I write, I speak to two main audiences. Let’s dive into who and why.
Ops Insights #041 My Top 8 LinkedIn Posts for YOU
It’s my birthday week and I’m incredibly grateful for YOU. For being here, for reading, for learning, for engaging, and most importantly for doing the good work you do and being the good human you are. Thank you for this amazing journey we are on.
In honor of my birthday, I’m going to share the top 8 LinkedIn posts from this year that are a must read.
Ops Insights #040 Introverts this Edition is for YOU
I can’t be in the room. What would I be asked? What would I say? How would I interact? The deep tightening in my stomach as I entered the room and then slipped to the back corner away from the center of it all. No one will notice me back here. No one will ask me anything. This is so uncomfortable, why am I here, get up, walk out, quick before the meeting starts. Sound familiar to anyone?
Ops Insights #039 Data Optimization
When was the last time you reviewed your data processes? The way data is coming into your nonprofit, how it is being handled (and protected) and the way it’s going out?
Just because you have always done it that way doesn’t mean it’s the most effective or best way to do it today. Often in fundraising as times change, so do our data needs and workflows. It’s important to have a process where you review and adjust to meet current times.
Let’s dive into how you can do this review.
Ops Insights #038 Prospect Strategy vs. Portfolio Review Sessions
If you can grow and solidify your prospecting efforts and nurture a proactive and collaborative working relationship between frontline and data/ops team members, you will excel in your fundraising efforts. One way to boost these efforts is learning to run effective prospect strategy sessions and portfolio reviews. Let’s talk through the difference.
Ops Insights #037 When Everything is a Priority
When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. These were the words spoken as the ops team member and I were talking about all the projects on the list to tackle for the leader and team. So much to do, so little time.
Ops Insights #036 Debrief from Nonprofits Leaders Summit
Listening to the Microsoft for Nonprofits Leaders Summit was reaffirming and inspiring. We were given permission that it’s okay not to know all the AI right now and the stronger message was we have to come together to learn and be part of developing AI over the next 5-10 years. We have to step up together and take a hold of it before it takes hold of us.
Ops Insights #035 Stop the Internal Drama
As I enter the room, I immediately feel the tension around the table. I squeeze by one individual typing away on her computer while I grab the last seat in the middle. On my right, more individuals were typing away at their computers, and on my left, a few were on their computers, and others were on their phones. No one was talking to anyone, heads down plugging away, but a sense of uncomfortable tension was in the air. First red flag.
Ops Insights #034 Thanking Donors
There is something soothing about preparing thank you letters to donors, if you let it. As the influx of donations increases time of year, our operations team puts in extra effort to process gifts and send out thank-you letters. The industry standard for sending acknowledgments is within 24-48 hours. If you find yourself outside this timeframe or notice a pattern of non-donor-centric thank-you letters, let’s talk about some tips you can follow.
Ops Insights #033 How to Say Goodbye to the Past Year
Did your last 30 days feel like this: go, go, go; make those calls, close those gifts, process those gifts, pump out those acknowledgments, make those thank you calls …all hands on deck.. go, go, go? It’s a normal part of fundraising, but it seems each year gets more and more intense with no break during any month of the calendar year. Let’s take a moment to take a breath, and as you head into another year, try not to clear the page and jump right into another year. Take a moment… what are you feeling?
Happy Holidays
It’s been an amazing year, and I am so grateful to you for doing the work you do, for tuning into these Insights each week, and for engaging with all of us in the philanthropy space.
As an FYI, you will not see another Insights edition until the new year. We are all hands on deck over here at PhilanthropyOps helping our clients end the year strong and ease their load to enjoy their holiday.
Thank you! Truly, thank you for being here. Have a wonderful year-end, and see you in the new year.
Ops Insights #032 Philanthropy Operations Areas
Philanthropy operations is an essential functional area that takes ownership of data, CRM, and processes, and effectively partners cross-functionally to propel an organization's fundraising forward. Often leaders think of philanthropy operations as only CRM database management, but it goes beyond this and primarily consists of eight key areas. Let’s dive into these eight areas.
Ops Insights #031 Building Your Grateful Patient Program
Building a Grateful Patient Program can be a game-changer for your nonprofit organization if you work in healthcare philanthropy. Over the years, the terminology has shifted from building a Culture of Philanthropy to building a Culture of Gratitude or Generosity. Nonetheless, building and nurturing this type of program is key to maximizing the opportunities for patients to express their gratitude and contribute to your cause. Let’s walk through a guide to help you get started.
Ops Insights #030 Addressing Burnout in the #Nonprofit Workplace
As we navigate the challenges of the nonprofit sector, it's crucial to address burnout to ensure the well-being of our teams and the success of our nonprofit missions. In the spirit of combating burnout, Stephanie and I have been running a series of posts throughout November on LinkedIn to provide awareness and actionable steps for fundraising professionals like yourself.
Ops Insights #029 4 Go-To Tech Tools
There is nothing like tech tools that make your life easier. I thought I’d share four of them that I use often to help you in your daily work. Some of these are free, and others have a cost to them, but they are worth their price for me. I’ll explain why they are worthy as when we can find tech tools that make our work easier and better, I’m all in. Let’s dive in.
Ops Insights #028 Use CUE to Strengthen the Partnership
We have tremendous opportunities in the fundraising sector to strengthen the partnership between data and frontline professionals. Gone are the days when the data team was the “back office.” Today, data professionals should stand side-by-side with frontline professionals as true partners to drive fundraising efforts forward. One way we can strengthen this partnership is by learning and using CUE - Communication, Understanding, and Empathy. Let’s talk through it.