What is a Data Append and Why Does it Matter for Nonprofits?

Nonprofit professionals managing nonprofit marketing and fundraising stand to gain a lot from collecting, maintaining, and leveraging the donor data stored in their CRMs. But since supporters often move or switch up their email addresses, their information changes over time. This means your data can quickly get outdated, which is where data appending comes to the rescue.

Updating data manually can take more time than nonprofits have to spare, but data appending uses automation to streamline the work. We’ll walk you through the process to help turn your CRM into an effective tool your fundraising and marketing efforts can actually rely on.

What Is A Data Append?

A data append adds missing details and updates existing records in an organization’s database. It compares your current CRM data against a larger, comprehensive data source to fill in gaps, such as:

• Contact details
• Demographic data
• Behavioral information
• Employment details

Organizations of all types (including businesses, nonprofits, and political campaigns) use data appends. For example, if you have received a text promoting a political candidate without sharing your phone number directly, the campaign likely acquired your details through a data append.

For nonprofits, data appends help maintain clean donor data and provide fuller insights into supporters. Ultimately, accurate data leads to tailored fundraising and donor cultivation strategies.

Why Is Data Appending Important?

Data appending improves data quality by filling in missing details and correcting inaccuracies. With better data, you can strengthen donor management and maximize your budget’s impact.

There are several situations where a data append provides the right answer, including:

• Missing key information: Simple sign-up forms, like an email newsletter subscription, often only ask for a name and email, leaving out phone numbers or demographic data.
• Outdated information: Donors rarely notify organizations when they move, change email addresses, or update their names. Appends keep your records current so you stay connected.
• Data got lost: System migrations, technology glitches, or human error can cause data loss. Appends offer a lifeline in these scenarios.

Beyond cleaning your database, accurate data allows you to:

• Personalize outreach: Appended demographic and behavioral data lets you tailor messages and content to individual donors’ interests.
• Update contact information: When supporter details change, appending emails, phone numbers, and addresses allows you to stay connected.
• Cultivate donor relationships: Relevant communications show donors you value their support, driving stronger engagement and positive responses.

Data appending enhances your understanding of supporters, driving better fundraising outcomes and forging stronger relationships.

How Data Appending Works

Data appending service providers manage multiple background steps: gathering, verifying, and formatting data to integrate smoothly into your CRM.

Here’s a look at what your provider does to make the data usable:

1. Format the data consistently, usually in a comma-separated values (CSV) format, so it can be analyzed correctly.
2. Upload the data into a single file and send it via a secure file transfer protocol.
3. Match the database against the external source using unique identifiers like names, addresses, and phone numbers.
4. Enhance the data by filling in missing information and correcting inaccuracies based on corresponding records.
5. Verify and validate to ensure accuracy and completeness, confirming the supplemental data is high-quality and ready to use.
6. Send the data file back to your organization in the format you need.

On your end, the process is simple: send your constituent records to a provider. To optimize results, clean your database beforehand by removing duplicates and obsolete profiles (such as deceased or long-lapsed donors).

If you prefer to send your database in its current state, you can do that as well. Whatever the condition of your records, your service provider handles the rest.

Types of Data You Can Append

With all the constituent data collected from volunteer sign-ups, event registrations, and donations, narrowing down which details matter most can be challenging. When it comes to data appending, organizations often ask: What information is actually worth appending?

Before requesting an append, identify which data points directly support your marketing and fundraising goals to avoid spending resources on unnecessary data. Here are the most common types of data retrieved through appends:

As the graphic shows, you can get a wide number of specific data points from an append, sorted into roughly three categories.

Contact Information

Constituents frequently change home addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. Up-to-date contact details ensure your appeals and updates arrive without interruption.

Leverage data appending to verify contact information, including:

• Phone numbers: Phone outreach enables direct communication and supports strategies like text-to-give and text banking.
• Email addresses: Email remains a primary digital marketing channel for fundraising appeals, newsletters, and updates.
• Postal addresses: Direct mail appeals, thank-you letters, and event invitations require accurate physical addresses to reach the right mailboxes.
• Social profiles: Finding supporters’ social profiles helps expand online engagement and encourages supporters to share your cause.

Communication forms the foundation of fundraising efforts. If your email bounce rates skyrocket or calls go straight to voicemail, a data append can verify whether you have the right constituent details.

Employer Data

Corporate philanthropy carries immense importance. Between matching gifts and volunteer grants, your organization has a lot to gain from promoting these opportunities to supporters.

Promoting corporate philanthropy opportunities requires accurate employer data. According to NXUnite’s guide to data appending, employment details enable your team to:

• Uncover corporate giving opportunities: Identifying where donors work allows you to check employer corporate social responsibility (CSR) guidelines for programs like matching gifts and volunteer grants.
• Identify corporate partnerships: When multiple supporters work at the same company, that business may be open to sponsorships or corporate volunteer days.
• Estimate capacity: Job titles and employer information help estimate giving potential, even if exact salary data isn’t provided.

Overall, employer appending helps unlock corporate giving options and identify major gift prospects.

Demographics

Demographic data provides key context regarding donor backgrounds, values, and priorities, including:

• Net worth
• Ages and dates of birth
• Gender
• Ethnicity and race
• Marital status
• Political affiliation
• Lifestyle attributes like hobbies and interests

Demographic appends enable targeted, personalized outreach that aligns with your supporters’ backgrounds and interests.

Data Appends: Frequently Asked Questions

What is an example of a data append?

A common example is an email append, which helps you source missing email addresses for the donors in your file. If you have a list of donor names and postal addresses but lack their email addresses, a data append service matches your list against a larger database to securely add the missing emails to your records.

How much do data append services cost?

Pricing varies based on the provider, the type of data requested, and the volume of records. Many services charge a few cents per successful match, while others offer flat-rate packages or subscription models for ongoing database updates.

Is data appending legal?

Yes, data appending is legal when performed correctly. Reputable service providers source their information from compliant, publicly available, opt-in databases. Organizations must still adhere to data privacy laws like GDPR or CCPA when handling and communicating with appended contacts.

What is the difference between data cleansing and data appending?

Data cleansing focuses on fixing errors, removing duplicates, and standardizing existing information in your database. Data appending involves taking that clean database and adding missing details, such as phone numbers or wealth markers, from an external source to create complete profiles.

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Wrapping Up and Additional Resources

Appends provide the data needed to strengthen supporter relationships, build lasting connections, and make informed marketing decisions. Supplement your database with the information required to stay current.

The right data append depends on your engagement strategy and data-gathering practices. Explore these resources to learn more:

• What Is an Email Append? All Your Questions Answered. Boost your deliverability rates and stay connected with your supporters by learning all about email data appends.
• Power Up Your Fundraising Campaign With Employer Appends. Interested in tapping into matching gifts and other corporate giving opportunities? Discover what you can do with employer appends.
• Workplace Giving vs. Payroll Giving: What’s the Difference? Understand these powerful corporate philanthropy channels and how accurate donor data helps you maximize them.

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