TECHNOLOGY > Fundraising Databases and Raiser's Edge

Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 13:21:34 +0100
From: Jonathan Evans

Raiser’s Edge is an excellent system, extremely flexible, comprehensive, and
works “out of the box”. It’s also very easy for anyone with a vague grasp
of Windows software to operate.

FSID is another small to medium sized charity, and we’ve found it
invaluable. It’s not the cheapest thing around, but – for us – it’s been a
vital investment. (I’m not saying that either it or BBE is perfect, but
then few things are!)

I’m sure, though, that other options do exist depending on your precise
needs. You might try speaking to someone like Peter Flory, who is subbed to
this list.

If you have any specific RE questions, please feel free to contact me.

JONATHAN

———————————–
Jonathan M C Evans
Direct Marketing Officer

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths
Artillery House
11-19 Artillery Row
LONDON
SW1P 1RT

Tel: 0870 787 0711

Website: http://www.sids.org.uk/fsid

Get involved! Cot Death Awareness Week 3-10 May 2003. Email
[email]thebigweek@sids.org.uk[/email] to find out more.

Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2002 07:47:01 +0100
From: Charlie Marshall

To whomsoever was asking about cheap software, we recently had a demo
involving the following:

1. Mr Paul Steadman, Managing Director, New Generation Consultancy, Park
IT Centre, Coryton, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4 PG (Telephone: 0845 – 345
1984 – product AppealMaster)

2. Mr Roger Williams, Anglo – Europe Computer Systems Ltd, 16-18 King
Street, Newcastle -Under-Lyme, Staffs, ST5 1EJ (Telephone: 01782 –
713409 – product, Open.Market)

3. Ms Jo Davies, Marketing Projects Manager, Care Data Systems Limited,
Patrick House, Lakeside Centre, Lifford Lane, Kings Norton, B’ham
(0121-458-7887 – product, Donorflex)

4. Mr David Warnock, Managing Director, Sundayta Ltd, International
House, 174 Three Bridges Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 1LE (Telephone:
01293 – 407474 – product, Visible Results)

5. Mr Jonathan Air, Charity Software limited, Unit 3, Avonside
Industrial Estate, Avonside Road, Bristol, BS2 0UQ (Telephone: 0117 –
971 – 6175, product, Donor2000)

6. Mr Roger Bourdon, APT Solutions Limited, Business Design Centre, 52
Upper Street, London N1 0 QH (Telephone: 020 – 7704 – 8006, product,
Stratum)

I think nos. 4 and 5 are probably the cheapest, although the demo was
specifically for those companies looking to supply those Scottish
charities who currently use appealmaster, whose parent company has now
been taken over by Blackbaud.

Charlie Marshall

Fundraising Manager
Age Concern Scotland
113 Rose Street
Edinburgh EH2 3DT
Tel. 0131 625 9320
Fax 0131 220 2779

Age Concern Scotland is a registered charity no. SC010100

____________________________________________________________

Age Concern Scotland Ltd is a company limited by Guarantee. Reg No
153343 Charity No: SC 010100. Registered Office: Leonard Small House,
113 Rose Street, Edinburgh EH2 3DT. Tel: +44 (0)131 220 3345 Fax: +44
(0)131 220 2779
Web site http://www.ageconcernscotland.org.uk

Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2002 06:19:49 EDT
From: Deborah Cole

Dear Ros

I was faced with the same problem working for a very small independent school
that is a charity and a not for profit organisation. Our fees are very low
which allows a lot of pupils from the state system to benefit from our
renowned Dyslexia Unit.

All our records were paper ones and I only had 80 past pupils on the database
and the school was founded in 1911!!!

We have therefore created our own database in microsoft word. It has all the
fields I need at present and I now have 700 listed, only another 60 years of
pupils to track down and add!!!

I know in the future we will have to have something more sophisticated, but
at least this will give us time to raise the finance for such a piece of
software.

If I was you I would call the other charities in your area (the big national
ones) and see what they are using and ask if you can spend some time with
them seeing how it works. I have heard good and bad things about all the
database software that is available, but seeing first hand from someone else,
I am sure will make your mind up.
Don’t be bullied into rushing in to anything, you may regret it later. Also
speak to some computer whizz kids in your area.

The other option is to see if your local university could help you. They may
even be able to use the study as part of their course work.

I hope this helps

Good luck

Best wishes

Deborah Cole
Mayville High School
Fund-raising
email me at [email]deborahcolemhs@aol.com[/email]

Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2002 22:10:29 +0100
From: Anita Macaulay

We debated long and hard about a database and in fact I asked for advice at
the time through this email group. In the end we decided to have a tailor
made database made to our specifications. This work is now complete and we
are delighted with the finished product. Mark Emms of Emmsit, the supplier
we finally contracted, understood much about charity operation and what we
wanted to get out of the software – he also has made modifications since at
very short notice when we have identified additional elements. The costs
were very reasonable too! I am happy to give his contact details of anyone
who would like them.
anita macaulay
CE
Jennifer Trust for SMA
Elta House
Birmingham Road
Stratford upon Avon
CV37 0AQ
[email]anita.macaulay@jtsma.org.uk[/email]