Max L. Hart Recipient Exemplifies Importance of Donor Data

One of the key themes at both Nonprofit Mobile Day and the Washington Nonprofit Conference last week was the importance of data and database management in fundraising. It's easy to see why.

As donors become more and more sophisticated in the way they interact with nonprofits — and as their expectations of the charities they support evolve — it's crucial to meet them where they are, when they're there, with the messaging they want and expect. That's where data comes into play. It can do so much of that work for fundraisers, helping them deliver the type of communications donors crave to strengthen the relationship and build loyalty.

Tapping your database, of course, has always been crucial in the fundraising sector. But with so many channels to juggle and more popping up every day, database management only grows in importance. Which is why it was the right time for the DMA Nonprofit Federation to honor Chuck Longfield with the 2012 Max L. Hart Nonprofit Award last Friday in Washington, D.C.

Longfield is senior vice president and chief scientist at nonprofit technology firm Blackbaud with a long background in data analytics. He founded Target Software Inc. and Target Analysis Group Inc. and has more than 30 years of experience in building and implementing donor databases. He created the Blackbaud Index, and continues his work helping fundraisers get the most out of their data today.

Congratulations to Chuck, who serves as both a worthy recipient of the Max Hart Award and an excellent example of someone furthering the sector through data.