Making It Suck Less

1. Making It Suck Less Top 5 ways SSA’s CiviCRM is better than it was last year

2. Quick bit about me • Development Manager for SSA • Fundraise! • Manage our database • Enter records • Keep it clean • Fine new and better ways to use it Here are the top five ways SSA’s CiviCRM sucks less!

3. NUMBER FIVE: auto-marking the monthly donation box

4. HOORAY CIVI FORUMS!

5. NUMBER FOUR: Secular Safe Zone Memberships • We use memberships to track donors. • We wanted to start using them for another SSA program: the Secular Safe Zone. • But… CiviCRM likes to override memberships.

6. No more problems with overriding memberships for our Secular Safe Zone Allies who are also donors!

7. NUMBER THREE: Activities Dashboards! • 2 different ones set up • Activities assigned to users • Activities user involved in • Keep track of what needs to get done • (I’d show a picture, but I am so far behind…) • Let’s others check up on if tasks are getting accomplished easier

8. NUMBER TWO: Reporting back! • Donor Centered Fundraising philosophy implemented • Timely follow-up, gift put to work on a specific thing, etc. • While gift is at work, NO SOLICITATION • Problem: how do we mark this in Civi? • Solution: Custom Field!

9. And…(drumroll please)…

10. NUMBER ONE: Using Activities Properly!!!!!!!! • Before CiviCon last year… • Did not know about activities • Were using notes to track information • Not searchable • Open ended • Non-standard • Went to CiviCon User/Admin training!! • Was enlightened • First thing I did was properly set up activities

11. Useful new types! • Six-month Pings • If no contact for 6 mos, alerts us to talk with donor! • TY notes/Calls • Asks • In-person meetings • Donations to other orgs • Background information • Remove from list • Pledge

12. Organized, Standardized, Searchable