# Data-centric approach is key to charities’ survival

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/06/16/data-centric-approach-key-charities-survival/
- Published: 2014-06-16T16:12:41+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Charities that don’t invest in understanding and using data effectively will face
increasing problems, according to charity staff at a recent roundtable hosted by
software company Advanced NFP.

Representatives from charities including Médecins Sans Frontières, RSPB and the 
Woodland Trust discussed the growth in data and the need to capture and manage it
in the morning event in central London, which was chaired by UK Fundraising’s Howard
Lake.

There was a consensus that charities that failed to grasp the issue would at best
miss out on major opportunities, and at worst face a threat to their survival.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

The views backed up research published recently by [Advanced NFP](http://www.advancednfp.com/)
which reported that 96% of charities and membership bodies were struggling to manage,
decipher and capitalise on the large and growing amounts of data they hold about
their members and supporters. The [Advanced NFP State of the Nation Data Report](http://www.advancednfp.com/news/news-state-of-nation-report.aspx)
round that 75% of surveyed not-for-profit organisations in the UK did not have the
time, skills or funds to resolve this problem.

Simon Fowler, Managing Director of Advanced Business Solutions, said:

> “NFPs are struggling to manage and understand online supporter data. We believe
> an inability to manage data to gain a competitive advantage is the single biggest
> threat facing NFPs right now.”

One way forward discussed by the roundtable participants was the need to educate
and secure the support of senior management. Some shared details of how they had
managed to do that, as well as securing support and shared objectives from colleagues.

The [roundtable](http://www.advancednfp.com/blog/default.aspx) attracted staff from
RSPB, Childreach, Alzheimers Society, British Ballet, Médecins Sans Frontières, 
Amnesty, International, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Institute of Fundraising and Firefighters
Association. They were joined by Advanced NFP staff together with [Janet Snedden](http://www.metametrics.co.uk/team/janet-snedden/),
Chair of the Institute of Fundraising’s Insight Special Interest Group and CEO of
MetaMetrics, and [Iain Pritchard](http://www.adaptaconsulting.co.uk/our-people),
Partner at Adapta Consulting.

 

_Photo: [files](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-133492550/stock-photo-paper-documents-stacked-in-archive.html)
by Garsya on Shutterstock.com_