Fundraising Analytics

Joshua M. Birkholz is a principal at Bentz Whaley Flessner, a leading fundraising consulting firm, and director of its analytics division, DonorCast. He has built data mining solutions for leading universities, medical centers, and cultural nonprofits throughout the United States. His areas of specialty include metrics for nonprofit fundraising, constituency analysis, segmentation, and integrated prospect identification systems. He is a sought-after speaker and presenter in the field of analytics, prospecting, and constituent relationship management.

"….is a gift to the massess..a lens into the world of the sophisticated fundraising operations that pump the big bucks into major institutions. Written by Joshua Birkholz, the book's subtitle is 'Using Data to Guide Strategy" and that's what the book delivers." (CharityChannel.com, June 6, 2008)

• Acknowledgments xiForeword xiiiChapter 1 Overview of Fundraising Analytics 1Defining Analytics 3The Mind of an Analyst 6What to Expect 11Enjoy the Journey 14Chapter 2 Understanding Your Constituents 17Natural Segments 17Portfolio Assignment 18Derived Segments 19Cluster Analysis Case Study 25Final Thoughts on Understanding Your Constituents 30Chapter 3 Analytics and Prospecting 31Development Business Process 31Integrated Prospecting System 38Analytics as Part of the Prospecting System 42Final Thoughts on Analytics and Prospecting 50Chapter 4 Analytics and Campaign Planning 51Assessing Campaign Factors 52Incorporating Campaign Factors 62Campaign Pyramid 68Final Thoughts on Campaign Analytics 70Chapter 5 Data-Driven Prospect Management 71Elements of Successful Fundraising Organizations 72Prospect Management 75Final Thoughts 113Chapter 6 Annual Giving Analytics 115Constituent Life Cycles 117Traditional Donor Segments 127Predictive Modeling for Annual Giving and Membership 128Metrics for Annual Giving 133Final Thoughts on Annual Giving Analytics 135Chapter 7 Selecting Data for Mining 137Selection Criteria 138Variables to Include in Your File 138Format for Your Data File 152Chapter 8 Descriptive Analysis: Basic Statistics and Scoring Models 153Descriptives 154Frequency Distribution 159Cross Tabulation 162Recoding Variables 164Correlation 170Correlation Ranking 173Calculating Database Capacity 175RFM Analysis 184Attachment Score 186Chapter 9 Regression Analysis 189Define Business Need or Goal 189Determine Required Data Elements 190Model Selection 192Prepare the Data for Modeling 193Modeling 197Model Evaluation 207Final Thoughts on Predictive Modeling 210Final Thoughts on Fundraising Analytics 211Glossary of Common Analytics Terminology 213AFP Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice 217A Donor Bill of Rights 218Index 219