Nine years ago, Center for Community Arts began a capital campaign and simultaneously got a grant for their first paid executive director. They planned carefully and hopes were high. Knowing that they would need to keep excellent records, they had done a careful search for the right database. At that time, I wrote a case study about why they chose FundRaiser. It was one of the first I ever wrote here for FundRaiser, and now I wondered how things had gone after all these years. I gave Judy Austermiller a call to find out. Judy is the development director and primary user of FundRaiser still.
When I reached her, Judy told a story that other organizations can likely relate to: how the economy had hit them and their capital campaign hard, and how staff turn over had added an additional challenge to doing their work. She also talked of how, in spite of these difficulties, the Center had kept on serving the community, and how FundRaiser has helped them do it.
“For the capital campaign, we raised about half of what we needed and then the economy changed. We put the campaign on hold three years ago, and are just now reorganizing for the next phase,” she said.
“During the lapsed years, it always gave me a feeling of security to know that we maintained the records in FundRaiser. Now, the record is still there of who has donated to date, so we can use it as we start up again. In a small organization, record keeping can be terrible unless computerized so that has given me a sense of security, knowing the data is there.”
Over the years, Judy has kept the data current. When she reads the local newspaper and interacts in her community, she is constantly generating new names for the database. When people move away, she tries to update their address. She reads the obituary section of the local newspaper, and makes changes as needed. “That is more important than I knew at the beginning,” she says. She also reminds staff to give her names of volunteers. “It’s still not in the top of their minds, yet.”
In the meantime, the Center for Community Arts has continued with their other work, and the individual donor base of the organization has grown. “Our first program focus has always been the Youth Program and now it has expanded to two other towns, so we are now serving a bigger community,” says Judy. FundRaiser has been helpful for that work.
Yvonne, who also uses FundRaiser, checks data about the youth programs and generates reports. “For instance, today, I was looking up how many kids were at summer camp and how many had paid, and their contact information,” says Yvonne. She also keeps membership updated. “Last week, someone came in asking if their membership had expired and I was able to look it up right then, and give them the information.” Yvonne likes using FundRaiser. “It very easy to use.”
Things are looking up for CCA again this year. “After some very low years, we just had our best fundraising year ever this year,” Judy says. Staff turn-over has also stabilized.
Even 9 years later, and some big ups and downs for CCA, Judy is still satisfied with her original choice of FundRaiser. Not only is the data there for the restart of the capital campaign, but she also knows that there is support for using the software when anyone on staff needs it. “I love that I can get people on the phone whenever I need it,” she says.
To learn more about how FundRaiser can help you with maintaining the records you need
Take a look at the Comparson Chart of features in the three FundRaiser programs