While each not-for-profit (NFP) is unique in size, shape and mission, NFPs across Australia share a number of challenges. They often lack specialised technical expertise, operate with constrained resources, struggle to maintain data compliance and have limited technology solutions tailored to the needs of their sector. In fact, 46% of NFPs are dissatisfied with their existing information and service delivery systems¹.

It is clear that these challenges are having an impact on the sector, with 45% of not-for-profit executives identifying that their organisation’s donor base has stagnated or is declining². This decline highlights how critical it is for NFPs to follow the lead of their private sector counterparts and leverage modern cloud technologies that deliver enhanced experiences for their donors and customers. Intelligent business applications like Dynamics 365 offer a clear pathway to accessible, affordable technology that meets challenges head on – from sales, marketing, finance and HR, to field and customer service, and beyond.

Dynamics 365 in action

Taking business learnings to not-for-profits

A Forrester study recently polled 2,000 employees who used Microsoft Dynamics in their workplace³. The study found that when using Dynamics, the return on investment – in terms of productivity gains – was an incredible 245%. In addition, they shared some impressive figures:

• 50% of teams improved productivity
• sales productivity and uplift was 5%
• consultation time was reduced by 10%
• customer service labour costs reduced by 40%
• labour costs overall decreased by 20%
• marketing budgets saved at least $75,000
• revenue increased by 2%

For not-for-profits, the same goes. With the right tools carefully implemented, employees will be more productive, donations will increase, labour costs can be diverted into charitable programs, marketing expenditure reduced and so much more. Moving towards an intelligent, cloud-based solution is a smart approach for NFPs ready to connect their people, process, and technology to create incredible impact.

Advancing the cause with Dynamics 365

Put simply, Dynamics 365 breaks down data silos to establish intelligent business processes across a collection of business apps – from sales to marketing to operations and beyond. Armed with measurable and data-driven insights, NFPs can power their organisation from a single cloud platform as they plan programs with total visibility across all functions.

The visibility advantage

In the age of digital data, visibility is everything. By harnessing data and business intelligence, you can quickly turn relationships into donations by better understanding what makes donors tick – from their habits to their communication preferences, and likeliness to continue to give. By bringing all of your sales and customer data into the one, streamlined channel, you can very quickly identify historical trends, and plan ahead with more certainty.

The donor and volunteer connection

While profit isn’t a motivation, money is still a core driver for NFPs who ultimately depend on donations to fund their programs. Unfortunately, many not-for-profits struggle to appeal to and retain donors – so cultivating these long-term relationships should be the top priority.

By leveraging the insights captured and retained over time, Dynamics can provide a complete view of engagement – from subscriptions, pledges and preferred methods of communication through to individual organisational connections and past conversations. This 360-degree view allows NFPs to link deeply contextual information to communications, delivering personalised interactions that build these stronger relationships and maximise fundraising opportunities. Consider the four scenarios below:

Scenario A | Personalised conversations

An not-for-profit reaches out to an individual who has made a private donation in the past. Before making contact, they view the donor profile, which includes details of their employer. As part of the conversation, the NFP references this information to discuss establishing a philanthropic initiative within the employer’s organisation.

Scenario B | Targeted communications

Leveraging historical donation and demographic data stored securely within Dynamics 365, NFPs can create strategic communications based around past contributions or identified trends, enabling more effective and predictable fundraising efforts.

Scenario C | Nurturing new donors

Automated customer nurturing is a proven tactic that’s used by profit-driven organisations to increase engagement and sales. In fact, companies can generate an impressive 50% more sales-ready leads at 33% lower cost⁴. For NFPs, a well-planned onboarding process for new members and donors will deliver memorable experiences that immerse them in the mission from the outset – and prepare them for ongoing communication to foster a long-term relationship.

Scenario D | The right audience

Knowing as much as you can about your audience is critical for success, particularly when not-for-profits stakeholders and decision makers can vary substantially compared to the private sector. Consider an Aged Care NFP – here, it is unlikely to be the residents who are making or influencing the decisions, but rather their children or perhaps even a third party. It’s essential this deeper level of information is on hand to ensure the conversations are tailored and directed to the right audience.

Want to learn more?

If you’re thinking about upgrading your CRM or are ready to take the first steps on your CRM implementation journey, please get in touch.

We can work with you to determine your unique organisational needs, understand your stakeholder requirements, review your existing solutions, and provide specific recommendations about whether a new solution is right for you.

1. Infoxchange. 2018. IT in the not-for-profit sector. [Online] Available at https://www.infoxchange.org/sites/default/files/it_in_the_not-for-profit_sector_report_for_2018.pdf
2. FP Magazine. 2015. Donor Retention Flat or Falling. [Online]. Available at https://www.fpmagazine.com.au/donor-retention-flat-or-falling-340661/
3. Forrester. 2011. The total economic impact of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. [Online] available at http://crmdynamics.blob.core.windows.net/docs/TEI%20of%20Microsoft%20Dynamics%20CRM%202011%20FINAL%2005092011.pdf
4. Adobe. 2019. What is Lead Management? [Online]. Available at https://au.marketo.com/lead-management/