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Sep 14, 2015

The First Thing about Analytics

past-present-futureAs fundraisers, we plan to succeed.

And to maximize our chances for success, our plans have to be grounded in empiricism.

Far too often, we’ve seen inexperienced boards or EDs make up crazy revenue goals for their DDs. These goals seem to be based on whim and wish. The only thing these kinds of goals achieve is to motivate the DD to look for a new job in a less crazy environment.

I’ve often said, to create a good plan for the future, you have to know where you currently stand. And nothing gives you a better comprehensive assessment of your current situation than looking at your organization’s past giving trends.

Analytics’ first job is to look back with the purpose of helping you look forward.

It does more than that of course. But this is where it all starts.

First-half of 2025 Trends in Fundraising

I have four graphs that summarize what we are seeing across the fundraising arena. These come from our newest analytical report, The Single Largest Gift - Cohort Analysis (SLG-CA). I know, its name is a mouthful, but its insights are plentiful. Basically, the SLG-CA...

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Part V: Why Algorithm Bias Matters

First, what is algorithm bias? Algorithmic bias happens when the data, assumptions, or methodology that drive an algorithm lead to discriminatory responses. It can result in several ways, including racial, gender, socioeconomic, or geographical biases. Algorithms are...

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