Contributors to Supporting Advancement

Brian Dowling, Principal and Founder, SupportingAdvancement.Com | SupportingFundraising.Com

Brian Dowling has invested more than 20 years working in Advancement and Development Services, Finance, Administration and Operations managing systems, gift processing, records, web sites, research, and other functions that help to support effective fundraising and constituent engagement.

Brian joined the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation in 2008 as Senior Vice President for Finance and Information Systems and is responsible for managing finance, administration and operations and deploying creative solutions to help the Foundation achieve its fundraising and engagement goals.

Brian worked previously at the University of Michigan and was responsible for managing the technological infrastructure, gift processing and records administration for the Office of University Development in support of a $3.1 billion campaign. The database contained over 1,000,000 entities and average revenue was $250-$370 million representing approximately 184,000 gift transactions.

Prior to that, Brian worked at The University of Toronto. The university’s $1 billion campaign was Canada’s largest and most successful philanthropic effort in higher education. The database of over 700,000 entities supported a large scale advancement operation.

Brian has also worked at a number of institutions in both the United States and Canada, where he gained understanding, knowledge and perspectives of managing in small, medium and large shops. This experience included multiple system conversions, web site development, budgetary and financial responsibilities, operations management and more. He has consulted in the United States, Canada, Asia and Australia, written numerous articles and presents regularly at conferences.

He invests his spare time in SupportingAdvancement.Com and is an amateur musician.

Please contact Brian Dowling directly for information on services that we can provide.

About SupportingAdvancement.Com

SupportingAdvancement.Com is currently one of the highest traffic, resource focused web properties in the higher education and non-profit spaces. The site is focused towards people working in advancement and development services, annual fund and operations but includes a substantial array of resources for fundraising and constituent engagement.

We learn from others. Site content is often contributed from professionals working across the broad spectrum of fundraising and constituent engagement throughout the world. Resources on the site are provided freely to the community through contributions, strategic partners and sponsorships.

Employment

Professional development. Strategies to help you manage your professional development.

More With Less

Effective Technology Planning.

Presentation on Optimizing Operating Revenue and Cost Per Dollar Raised to Ensure Sustainability.

Resources. Presentation on resources to help you with your career. SWOT analysis.

What are some strategies to help in selling your budget?
The 100 Day Plan. Planning exercise designed to accelerate outcomes in a short time frame which will then lead into a longer term (typically annual) plan. The plan can provide a clean slate so the organization can innovate quickly and where the traditional planning cycle may be too far out, too complicated or too time intensive to foster innovation in the short term.

Potpourri

Customer Service. Presentation on delivering memorable customer service experiences.

Listserv Etiquette. It is important to observe guidelines to keep everyone productive on listservs.

Rankings Up and Down. Comments on rankings.
Resources. Presentation on some resources that are available to help you with your career.
Sample User Training Survey.Sample of a training survey that can be sent to your user community to help prioritize training that a finance and information systems area would typically provide.
The Devil is in the Details. (Customer Service.)
Tomorrow Made Possible. Presentation and podcast on what we need to do in advancement and development services to meet the future needs of our organizations.

Vocation = Avocation. General thoughts, musings and other information on advancement services.

Records

Community Outreach and Other Hidden Data Gems. Ideas for building your database.

Data Challenges. What are some of the data challenges related to fundraising that you are facing in the healthcare sector?

Data Cleanup Reporting. Example of a data cleanup and maintenance reporting strategy.
Data to Information - Part 1. Presentation done at APRA International Conference on strategies for changing your data to information. Part 1 looks at data challenges and opportunities, inventorying and then measuring your data to determine how effective your data management is.
Data to Information - Part 2. Part 2 of presentation done at APRA International Conference on strategies for changing your data to information. Part 2 looks at creative data acquisition strategies and some of the newer tools for managing data.

Creative Information Strategies. Presentation on creative information acquisition strategies. Podcast. Creative Acquisition Strategies (updated for Joint CASE and AASP programming for advancement services.)

Data Management - Overarching. An encompassing approach to data management is critical to fundraising success.

Electronic Content Management Systems (ECM). Some considerations on implementing ECM.

Reporting

A Few Resources. Here's a few resources for SQL Server, Data Warehousing, Data Mining and Data Visualizations.
Building a Data Warehouse - 1. Part 1 of a skills building workshop on building a data warehouse presented at Blackbaud's International Conference. This presentation is an overview of building one.
Building a Data Warehouse - 2. Part 2 of a skills building workshop on building a data warehouse presented at Blackbaud's International Conference. This presentation includes more detailed examples.
Challenges With Reporting. Some of the challenges we all face with fundraising reporting, and some solutions for improving.

Data Cleanup Reporting. Example of a data cleanup and maintenance reporting strategy.

Data Analytics and Reporting. Presentation - Building Your Data Warehouse - Session 1. Associated Podcast.

Data Analytics and Reporting. Presentation - Building Your Data Warehouse - Session 2. Associated Podcast.

Data Warehouse - Driving Performance With Information.

Data Warehouse Glossary. A brief summary of some commonly used data warehouse terms with some examples of usage in a fundraising organization.
Data Warehouse Strategies - 1 - Part 1 of a presentation on data warehouse strategies presented at an AASP (Association of Advancement Services Professionals) regional workshop. Associated Podcast (WMA format).
Data Warehouse Strategies - 2 - Part 2 of a presentation on data warehouse strategies presented at an AASP (Association of Advancement Services Professionals) regional workshop. Associated Podcast (WMA format).

Effective Information. Concepts of Information Leverage.

Final Campaign Report. Final campaign reports require a number of special considerations. By providing direction and ideas to management on format and structure, you can be instrumental in developing these important strategic documents.
Fundraising Data Warehousing. Presentation made to the BC Blackbaud User Group on constructing a data warehouse including a case study using the appeal codes table. Some additional handouts for presentation. Shortened version presented at DRIVE conference.

Metrics, Analytics and the Strategic Plan. How should the data warehouse design relate to the strategic plan?
Pivoting - Dancing of Our Data. In some fashion, almost every one of us has an endless chain of demands and inquiries for multiple amounts of information. The world is getting more complex and it’s increasingly more difficult to perform these analyses. Questions inevitably lead to more questions.
Planning Information Goals. Information is critical for managing fundraising and engagement. If we don’t have the right intelligence we simply won’t be able to generate the return to mission that we aspire to. What information do we need in our data warehouse, how do we plan for it and how do we set our priorities?
7 Data Warehouse Ideas. Presentation on some interesting ideas to include in your data warehouse.

Star Schema, Dimensions, Facts, Surrogate Keys. There are abundant resources available covering data warehouse concepts. This is a general overview of some of the basics in an attempt to relate these to fundraising data.

Survey on Report Writing.

Understanding Reporting. Understanding advancement/development reporting. Podcast. Podcast 2.
Value of User Defined Functions. When building out your data warehouse you should investigate the use of user defined functions as a way to leverage your programming for repetitive tasks.
View for Business Intelligence. The world changes and the pace of change is geometric. Your critical business information will need to keep pace with major trends – these trends are worth watching and definitely worth understanding.

Visual Analytics. We need to understand the use of visual analytics in our fundraising organizations.
Why Reporting Services? Comparisons of reporting solutions using PDF, HTML, Stand-Alone Report Writers and SQL Server Reporting Services.

Research

Managing Prospects. Presentation on using your fundraising software to effectively manage your prospects.

Revenue

Matching Gifts - Best Fundraising Practices. Presentation with examples of best fundraising practices for matching gifts.
Matching Gifts Practices. Presentation on matching gifts practices with information from the Matching Gifts Practices Surveys.

Matching Gifts Survey 2006. Results. Print version. Co-contributor Amy Phillips.

Matching Gifts Survey 2007. Results. Presentation of the results of the survey. Co-contributor Amy Phillips.

Matching Gifts Survey 2008. Results. Podcast with Brian Dowling and Amy Phillips. Co-contributor Amy Phillips.

Matching Gifts Survey 2009. Results. Co-contributor Amy Phillips.

Matching Gifts Survey 2010. Results. Print Version. Co-contributor Amy Phillips.

Matching Gifts Survey 2011. Results. Print Version. Co-contributor Amy Phillips.

Matching Gifts Survey 2012. Results. Print Version. Co-contributor Amy Phillips.
Matching Gifts Practices 2012. Slides from a webinar on the results of the largest and most comprehensive matching gifts survey focusing on the 2012 results.

Soliciting Matching Gifts. The Complexities and Some Tips and Tricks on Soliciting Matching Gifts.

Systems

Folder Structures. Good folder structure design is critical to helping you with your productivity. (Video)
Fundraisers and Technology. Presentation from a webinar on the top 10 things that fundraisers should know about technology.

Information Systems and Data Management Practices Advisory Group.
New Software, New Business Models, New Fun. Upgrades to a flagship suite of software.

Predicting the future. iPhone Applications for Non Profits.
Site Visit Checklist. Site visits are an important component of a system replacement project. The checklist can be used to help structure these visits so time is productive.
Vendors Help Us. It's not easy to source new software. Vendors can make some simple improvements in how they work with us to help us make these decisions.

Web Sightings

Annual Report. Good example of online annual report. (Video)
Augmented Reality. What is an example of augmented reality, and how might this apply to fundraising? (Video)
Challenge. Good example of a challenge gift at Michigan State University. (Video)
Climbing for Prostate. Discussion of 3rd party events and web site for a mountain climbing theme. (Video)

Developing and Implementing an E-Philanthropy Strategy.
Good Giving Pages. Good example of clarity and simplicity to reinforce messaging. (Video)
Grind for Kids. Overview of a good example of social media activities done by BC Children's Hospital. (Video)

I Am Fresno State. Good example of integration of various social media sites and internal site. (Video)

Improving ePhilanthropy. Presentation on how to implement a plan and integrate best practices into your philanthropy strategy. Class exercise used in presentation for critiquing an ePhilanthropy plan. Associated Podcast.

Internet Strategy. Podcast on creating a comprehensive Internet strategy.

Join the PawPawty. Virtual party using Twitter and other Web 2.0 technology to raise money for animal welfare. (Video)

Micro Sites and Campaigns. Example of using a micro site for targeted annual giving. (Video)
Non Profits and Social Media, Revised Version. Revised Again. Presentation on how nonprofits are utilizing social media.

Philanthropy Timeline. Why it's a good addition to your web site. (Video)

Rating Your Web Presence. Comprehensive checklist for rating your ePhilanthropy presence.
Read the Fine Print Carefully. How do you need to re-think the “fine print” when you purchase third party hosted services to build an online community? One often assumes, especially when having worked with “traditional” software such as your own CRM or similar that you’ll have some modicum of control over your data as you build your online community. Nothing may be further from the truth.
Registering a Domain. Registering a domain is one of the first steps in establishing your online brand presence. A domain is your online address that can be used for a wide variety of purposes - and it's never been easier to register yours.

Save Our Scholarships. The Save Our Scholarships campaign from Eastern Washington University. (Video)

Search Engine Wars. Brief overview discussion on how various search engines perform. (Video)
Social Networking. Presentation and podcast on ways of doing Social Networking and Media Sharing.
Using New Web Technologies. Using web technologies for both internal and external purposes. Podcast.
Web 2.0, 3.0 and Beyond. Presentation and podcast with examples of what organizations are doing in the web 2.3, 3.0 and beyond environment.
Presentation on Web 2.0, 3.0 and Social Networking.
Web Responsibilities. Presentation on what you need to be responsible for knowing and doing on the web.

What are you doing with Web 2.0 Survey.

Jeffrey D. Driggs, Director, Annual Giving, University of Utah

Jeffrey D. Driggs has been director of Annual Giving at the University of Utah since 2001. Prior to coming to the U of U, he was associate director of Communications for LDS Foundation, where he spent 17 years producing development publications for Brigham Young University, BYU-Idaho, and BYU-Hawaii. He has bachelor's and master's degrees in English from Brigham Young University.

Endowed Scholarship Proposal.
Proposal to Increase Annual Giving Staff Size.
What's Your Perspective? Improving your direct mail pieces.