04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 1
AUTOMATING KEY DEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONSDaniel Lantz
Deborah Mueller
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 2
Our goals: provide information to help define your key
development functions provide insight and inspiration on how to build an
automated process
SESSION OVERVIEW
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 3
About us Define our key development functions – the
collection of the contact reports and proposals Describe how we automated a process for
collecting this data
AGENDA
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 4
Minnesota Medical Foundation at the University of Minnesota-Daniel Lantz, Application Development
Manager, Information Services-Deborah Mueller, Director of Prospect
Development
INTRODUCTIONS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 5
OUR MISSION
The Minnesota Medical Foundation (MMF) helps people live healthier lives by advancing the health-related research, education, and care at the University of Minnesota.
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 6
OUR OBJECTIVES
Research Education Care
Discover and deliver new treatments and
cures
Prepare the physicians and health leaders of the future
Transform health care delivery and quality; promote
health
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 7
HISTORY OF MMF
Founded in 1939 Separate 501(c)(3) First staff hired in 1959 Raised 1/3 of the University total during Campaign
Minnesota Brought in 3 of the largest gifts in University history:
$65M for cancer research $50M for U of M Amplatz Children’s Hospital $40M for Schulze Diabetes Institute
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 8
DEFINING KEY DEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 9
• A contact report is a meaningful and constructive communication between an MMF staff member and a potential donor
• The contact report involves various data elements collected within Raiser’s Edge
WHAT IS A CONTACT REPORT?
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 10
Track significant information to advance a prospect towards solicitation
To record the history of the relationshipTo communicate with other MMF staffEstablish metrics to measure performance Maintain official records of the prospect
relationship
WHY COLLECT A CONTACT REPORT?
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 11
Date and type of contact and by whom Brief summary of contact Complete narrative of visit Prospect strategy Next steps Prospect manager, prospect classification and rating Philanthropic interests Basic demographic changes Need to add/update prospect team
CONTACT REPORT DETAILS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 12
NOTES
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 13
ACTIONS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 14
PROSPECT INFORMATION
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 15
A verbal or written document that defines a problem or need, proposes a solution to a problem and requests funding to implement the solution.
WHAT IS A PROPOSAL?
Mikelonis, Victoria M., Betsinger Signe T. Nielsen, and Constance Kampf. Grant Seeking in an Electronic Age. New York: Pearson/Longman,
2004. Print.
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 16
Purpose/area of support Proposal solicitor Anticipated ask date Proposal status Gift type and vehicle Dollar range – rating Anticipated ask amount Amount and date asked Amount and date anticipated Amount and date funded
PROPOSAL DETAILS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 17
AUTOMATING KEY DEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 18
MGOs enter data directly into Raiser’s Edge Created e-mail template Service Center approach New application via API process
HISTORY OF COLLECTING CONTACT REPORTS/ PROPOSALS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 19
Transition processes from current systems Increase efficiency and simplicity for all staff Empower major gift officers Build secure process Eliminate use of e-mails Provide mobility and flexibility Control completeness and accuracy
OVERALL PROJECT GOALS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 20
Web-delivered system Remote access Gather same info as currently collecting Display existing data in RE Allow modification of certain data elements System must be flexible
- Save partially completed contact reports- Review before accepting into RE
Data uploaded to RE via API process Easy to access and use Secure
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 21
WHAT TO PUT IN AND WHAT TO LEAVE OUT
Build mobile, secure application to add/modify/view specific RE data elements
Don’t make the application a web-based RE
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 22
Time savings contact report processing reduced time allocated to
data entry from 67% to 10% Simplified interface increased speed of data entry development assistants had time for other projects -
data is entered directly by MGO’s Metrics and other reports more accurate and up-to-
date
OUTCOMES OF NEW APPLICATIONS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 23
OUTCOMES OF NEW APPLICATIONS Increased security
contact reports can wait in queue and be shared with other MGO’s
contact reports are no longer emailed More accurate data
required fields are limited data must accepted before entry into RE RE business rules are maintained by using API data entered by MGO’s, not development assistants
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 24
Web development skills- Coldfusion - ASP.NET- PHP- PerlVisual Basic coding- Visual Basic 6.0- VB.NETKnowledge of API- Classes offered at Blackbaud- Raiser’s Edge help contains documentationBlackbaud.com knowledgebase- Excellent code examples for working with API
RESOURCES
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 25
User Interface –
ColdFusion Website
API – Visual Basic application
Raiser’s Edge
Collect the data- Data is collected and stored in the Contact
Reporting Application database- Data can be reviewed and shared until the
data is accepted for entry into RE
Validate the data- Data is reviewed and can either be accepted
or denied
ORDER OF OPERATIONS
Insert the dataData is inserted into the Raiser’s Edge via a VB.NET application using the RE API
Review the dataData can be viewed using
established RE queries or via dashboard
Contact Reporting Application database
Contact Report/Proposal Approved
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 26
WEB INTERFACE ColdFusion 9.1 – dynamic web development jQuery – user interface tricks HTML – core building blocks for web page CSS – styling the page
RAISER’S EDGE Visual Basic .NET Raiser’s Edge API
TOOLS USED
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 27
RAISER’S EDGE API
Provides an automated method of entering data into Raiser’s Edge
Business rules set in Raiser’s Edge are enforced via the API
API is accessible via code written in VB.NET or Visual Basic 6.0
Blackbaud offers a three-day API class
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 28
CONTACT REPORT APPLICATIONSEARCHING FOR EXISTING CONSTITUENTS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 29
CREATING A CONTACT REPORT
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 30
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 31
VALIDATING CONTACT REPORT/PROPOSAL
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 32
COLLECTING PROPOSAL DATA
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 33
PROBLEMS TO OVERCOME New systems during busy fundraising times Get MGO buy-in Need to be flexible while rolling out / application phases Feedback and responses from MGOs Trustworthy and accurate systems Maintaining the application after ‘completion’
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 34
QUESTIONS
04/09/2023 Automating Key Development Functions 35
THANK YOU
Contact Information
Minnesota Medical Foundation at the University of Minnesota
• Daniel Lantz – [email protected]
• Deborah Mueller – [email protected]