Supporter data is a strategic asset

10 min read · Sep 15, 2025

In our last blog, we discussed the hidden costs of disconnected systems. In this one, we’re going to flip that on its head, and instead look at one of the benefits of connected systems.

I recently exited the for-profit world, and I saw first hand how connected systems can give us valuable insights, which help us make more informed business decisions and build better customer experiences.

The exact same is true in the non-profit world, so let’s look at an example to demonstrate this: supporter data.

If your organisation fundraises, you probably have a fundraising CRM (and if you don’t, you should think about getting one!). To assist with your fundraising, you probably use a number of other systems too, an event management platform, a tool to collect donations, and so on.

All of these “other” systems are collecting data about your supporters. This data is gold, and your organisation can use it to build stronger relationships and generate more income.

But problems arise when that data doesn’t live in one place. It becomes hard to use, forcing your team into a slow, manual process of pulling reports from multiple sources and combining them.

The goal: a single supporter view

Your fundraising CRM should be the home for all data related to your supporters. The goal of connecting your systems is to create a single supporter view - your fundraising CRM becomes a central record that holds every interaction a person has had with your organisation. Data from your other systems moves into your fundraising CRM automatically, no manual data entry required.

When you achieve this, you unlock some strategic advantages, here are some examples.

Improved supporter relationships

In today’s world people expect personalisation. It’s much easier to personalise messaging when the data needed to do so all lives in one place.

For example, instead of a generic thank you message, you can thank them for the total amount they’ve donated this year, the 10K they ran (and how much they raised!), and the impact that money has had. When running a campaign asking donors to give more, you can customise the amount, asking smaller donors for less and larger donors for more, with specific call outs for what you’ll do with the extra money.

More engaged supporters are more likely to donate, and your single supporter view gives you the ability to increase that engagement.

Maximise fundraising return on investment

A complete view of your supporter interactions allows you to see which activities generate the most income. You might discover that people who raise money on your behalf are also your most loyal donors, allowing you to focus your marketing budget where it will have the most impact.

Scale your impact, not your admin team

As your organisation grows, a connected system scales with you. It allows you to process 10,000 donations, or manage 1,000 event attendees, as easily as 100. It breaks the link between growth and administrative overhead. More of every pound you raise goes directly to your mission, not to hiring more staff for manual data entry!

A final thought

I hope I’ve been able to demonstrate how your supporter data is a strategic asset, and how a connected system allows you to use it effectively. Instead of just looking at the direct cost of connecting systems to a fundraising CRM, I think non-profit leaders also need to consider the cost of not having a unified view of their supporters.