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September 2008 |
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Featured in this issue: Class is in Session at GiftWorks U!
Also In This Issue: Class is in Session at GiftWorks U!
Learn How to Get the Most from Giftworks!
Matt Hugg, GiftWorks Consultant Partner and President of Fundraising Talent, offers this bit of wisdom:
"Not long ago my friend bought a new chainsaw. Up until now he trimmed the trees on his property with a small bow-saw. No need for firewood; his fireplace was fueled by a Duraflame® log.
But this year that needed to change. With oil prices rising fast, he resolved to start to heat with wood. My buddy found a super chainsaw. The price was great, it started right up, and it was remarkably easy to use. He tore into his first tree – a half-dead oak near the house that had been on his mind since he bought the place. TIM-BER! He shouted with pride... He nearly took out his porch!
'I gotta learn how to use this thing!' he thought to himself sheepishly. You have GiftWorks. It’s a super program. The price was great and it is remarkably easy to use. But you gotta learn how to use this thing!
No, nobody is going to mistakenly 'take out the porch' by coding an annual fund gift wrong or running a LYBuNT report instead of a SYBuNT report. But if you don’t learn what you can do with GiftWorks, this great tool you have can't help you fuel your nonprofit with the gifts you need to carry out your mission."
Check Out Our All New GiftWorks Curriculum!
Our new GiftWorks Professional Development Series teaches you how using GiftWorks in conjunction with solid fundraising principals and best practices allows you to maximize your development efforts. Classes are offered as engaging, one hour webinars, conveniently scheduled at various dates and times. They’re available as individual sessions or as part of a comprehensive series. Those who complete all six modules will be certified as a GiftWorks Professional!
Through October 31st you can purchase each module separately for $59 (regularly $79) or buy the entire series for just $299 (save $175)! Check out all the details at our GiftWorks store.  TechSoup, the nonprofit technology website, recently announced that Mission Research, makers of GiftWorks nonprofit software, has provided more than $100,000 worth of software donations and discounts through the TechSoup Stock program in 2008.
"Even the smallest organizations need donor and donation management solutions to work most effectively with limited resources," says Mary Pat Donnellon, Executive Vice President of Mission Research. "We're happy to work with TechSoup to make GiftWorks licenses available to nonprofits." Those nonprofits with budgets of $25,000 or less can purchase GiftWorks at the TechSoup price of $25. (Nonprofits with budgets from $25,000 to $50,000 can purchase GiftWorks from TechSoup for $99.) In 2008 alone, more than 350 grassroots nonprofits have taken advantage of this opportunity through TechSoup. "Using GiftWorks can help smaller nonprofits to connect better with their supporters and build the mutually beneficial relationships that are crucial to sustaining their missions without overspending their budgets," Donnellon adds. TechSoup Co-CEO Rebecca Masisak says: "TechSoup is delighted to team up with GiftWorks--a unique data management powerhouse specifically designed for grassroots groups as well as for larger nonprofits. GiftWorks is endorsed by many state nonprofit associations as well as by pioneers in progressive philanthropy. It's a great addition to TechSoupStock's nonprofit survival kit."
TechSoup helps nonprofits needing technology capabilities access know-how, advice, and products to achieve their missions. By using TechSoup donated or discounted products, nonprofits can acquire more sophisticated technology at a low cost, saving donated funds for other uses. For more information, visit www.techsoup.org.
On October 15, the parameters of this ongoing offer will be expanded for one day only to allow nonprofits with annual operating budgets up to $200,000 to request one GiftWorks Standard 2008 license for $99.
If your organization's budget is higher than the $200,000 threshold, take a moment to tell a younger or smaller nonprofit about this amazing opportunity !
GiftWorks Day on TechSoup
WHEN: October 15th 2008, 11:00AM - 7:00PM EST
WHAT: The GiftWorks-TechSoup special one-day sale.
So far in 2008 we've fielded over 5000 calls, or an average of 30 calls a day. Some call frequently, others call only once. Naturally GiftWorks customers come with a wide range of experience. Calls can be as simple as how to add a donor or a donation to how to add a new campaign. At the high-tech end, IT people and accountants might call about configuring GiftWorks with QuickBooks or other special accounting functions. To have the flexibility to call the team whenever needed, organizations can purchase an annual phone support plan. While there are many terrific GiftWorks resources on our website, many users find that they want to be able to talk to someone personally with questions. Our support department has a great reputation for its gracious reception of questions of all kinds and its knowledgeable and patient provision of answers, explanations, and walk-through processes. When a customer first purchases GiftWorks or a GiftWorks upgrade, then of course there are numerous questions about the new product, importing data, and setup. Along with this, there are calls about database maintenance (backing up customer database and restoring an existing backup file), importing or exporting data, adding a new SmartList, or how to show a list of donors that match multiple criteria. If you had to guess what issue provokes the greatest number of calls… You probably guessed Mailings. Not that Mailings are hard to do in GiftWorks, but with each mailing---and with the many options GW gives you, the GW user faces numerous questions/decisions. For example: "I created a letter and put it in the Letter Library yesterday, and now I can't find it." (The secret key here is that the Letter Library has 4 sections based on insertable fields--Donors, Donations, Pledges, and Receipts--so you'll find your letter only in the appropriate Library section.) Another frequent question: "How do I add a letter created in Word to the Letter Library?" (Answer: Save the letter in "rich text format" or RTF; in the Letter Library create a new letter, name it, then insert the RTF file.) The next most frequent topic---GiftWorks most popular feature, SmartLists. And following right along that line, Reports. As GW users see how many list and report opportunities they have, they develop more questions about adapting those lists and reports to meet their agency's requirements. Lisa Breneman, Customer Service and Support Representative, concludes: "We don't listen to customer problems all day; we solve customer problems all day. Our reward is to be able to send our GiftWorks users back to their computers with renewed confidence in their own ability to make their software do more for their nonprofit."  We welcome the N.C. Center for Nonprofits to our "partner" family! They recently joined with our other state partners associations in selecting GiftWorks as the fundraising software of choice for their member organizations.State nonprofit associations join the "partner" family as a way of letting their members know that they have reviewed GiftWorks and find it valuable fundraising software. Members of their organizations may receive GiftWorks special offers and discounts. In addition to the N.C. Center for Nonprofits, GiftWorks is proud to be a partner with these nonprofit associations: Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, Colorado Nonprofit Association, and TechSoup. GiftWorks is endorsed by the Council of Community Services of New York State, Inc., Utah Nonprofits Association, Connecticut Association of Nonprofits, Hawai'i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, and the Idaho Nonprofit Center. Trisha Lester, vice president of the N.C. Center for Nonprofits, says: "It's a pleasure to offer GiftWorks services to our members throughout North Carolina. It's a great solution for all nonprofits--regardless of size or budget. The best thing is it's so affordable!" |
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Matt Hugg
