Ask Fuse: File Health Insights

Where do you even begin when it comes to a File Health analysis?

1. Know Industry Trends

   • There are lots of trending reports out there, and before we even dig into your organization’s trends, we get a lay of the land across the industry — especially those in the same sector. Understanding the current fundraising environment and how that may impact what we’ll find in an organization’s trends will set the stage for discovery. 

2. Understand Strategic Focus Areas

   • Before diving into results, it’s critical to understand what strategic priorities have been focus areas for your organization in the prior year and how those initiatives may be impacting results (either as intended, or differently). Note that what may have been expected vs. what we will see in trends don’t always align, so it’s important to evaluate data with an open mind and use this lens as only helpful context.

3. Identify Changes in Audience Composition

   • As a first step in evaluating the file, we need to understand how the audience has changed overtime and how those changes may affect aggregate metrics. For example, what % of the audience is now consecutive givers vs. new? How does a shift in that percentage change what we may be seeing at a high level? If investments have shifted and more donors are coming in from digital channels — how may that be influencing the new last year retention rate?

4. Focus on Critical KPIs

   • We like to start with the “big three”— pipeline, retention, and value. How have these critical KPIs changed over the last year, historically by audience, and overall across the file? What is causing these metrics to change? Is value increasing across audiences because of higher average gifts? Or are the number of gifts donors are making increasing?

5. Distill Your Findings and Share Your Story

   • After you’ve mined data across various audiences, take the time to zoom out. Identify what the data is telling us overall and how all the various trends and views are related. Think about what the trends tell us about where the program is going for the future and how that aligns with big picture and long-term goals for the program.

6. Develop a Plan to Write the Next Chapter

   • After understanding how program trends align and where the program is headed, identify which KPI “dials” need to turn to either maintain current trends or influence growth in areas for the future. Our team uses this information to develop a strategic roadmap that aligns with that plan and guides campaign level strategy for the next year.

If you’re looking for help analyzing the health of your program’s file or have questions on any of these steps, click here to connect!