In this episode of Nonprofit Tech Talks, host Jack Showers talks to Brady Hambleton, Vice President of Marketing, Engagement, and Analytics at Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations.
Jack and Brady talk about the benefits and challenges of using data-driven technology in nonprofit fundraising and marketing.
“How did the Pandemic Impacted the Use of Data-Driven Technology in Nonprofits”
Brady believes the need for data-driven technology has accelerated significantly during the pandemic. Specifically, in the healthcare sector, nonprofit professionals are building data-driven models to predict the spread of viruses and their effect on their work.
As nonprofit professionals transition to virtual work, there’s a greater need to adopt technology to administer and analyze virtual programming and fundraising.
However, Brady mentioned that many nonprofits have also had to put projects related to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) on pause as they focus on more emergent issues.
“How Can Nonprofits Adopt Data-Driven Technology?”
Most nonprofits are sitting on a wealth of data, but they’re not taking advantage of it to gain insights and predictions. Brady believes that nonprofit professionals should adopt data-driven technologies to understand the capabilities and benefits of their data.
“What Challenges Do Nonprofits Face When Adopting Data-Driven Technology?”
Data-driven technologies aren’t a silver bullet that can fix all of your nonprofit’s problems. Instead, they should be thought of as a specific tool, like a hammer or saw, that’s designed for a particular purpose.
Although many nonprofits sit on a wealth of donor data, if they don’t thoroughly research the use cases of the technologies they seek to invest in, they won’t fully maximize the technology’s potential.
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“Where Can Nonprofit Professionals Learn More About Data Management and Analysis?”
For data education, Brady uses a PWRDBY, a social enterprise dedicated to driving social and environmental impact through mission-driven strategy, design, technology, and data science. Check out their blog to learn more!
Additionally, Brady mentioned that he relies on his peers to educate him on different data management and analysis topics. Check out KIT’s blog on five thought leaders in nonprofit AI to gain expert opinions on all things nonprofit data.
Talk to a fundraising expert today to learn more about how Fundraising KIT can quickly and easily help your nonprofit raise more for your cause.
Brady concluded the interview by urging nonprofit professionals to continuously reflect on their organization’s mission when pursuing their goals. They should remain mission-aligned to connect with their donors and stakeholders successfully.
Jack Showers
Nonprofit Research Analyst at Fundraising KIT
When Jack isn’t cheering for the Raptors or watching an 80s action movie, he’s studying the social sector and producing content for nonprofit professionals. As a Nonprofit Research Analyst at KIT, an AI-powered insights and reporting toolkit, he is especially passionate about helping fundraisers save time and raise more money for their cause.
