In our previous two articles, we put forward an argument to include research as a key to a fundraiser’s tool kit, and then we identified some key questions an agency or charity needs to ask before starting a research initiative. In this article, the third in a series of six, we explore the practical considerations of getting the research done … putting the rubber to the road as it were.
For us, putting the rubber to the road means just getting on with it; it is all about getting started. As trite as it may sound, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” Those who never take the first step don’t make the journey.
If you’re reading this, you’re almost on your way.
Now it won’t surprise you that putting the rubber to the road is a matter of asking yourself the right questions and then taking action on the answers you provide. So what are the right questions to ask? Just before we get going, let us share with you a few assumptions:
You’ve identified and written your research questions, you’ve decided on what information you want to gather, you know where to get the information from, or who can provide it, and you know how to use the information you get to raise more money.
Now, if you’ve answered those questions, thought about your answers, discussed them with colleagues and/or research practitioners, then you’re probably ready to proceed to the next stage. As we’ve already said, thay next stage is a matter of asking yourselves yet another series of “right” questions, which will include the following:
What methodologies will you use? Who will do the work? When will you do the work (timing & response rate impact)? What approvals do you need? How much will it cost (afford? Gap?)? How will you record and share the findings and to whom?
What methodologies?
Will you conduct focus groups? How about doing a survey? Does this research initiative require one-on-one interviews? Is there a literature review to be done? Is it a matter of “mining the data” you already have? Or perhaps you’ve decided on a telephone survey to test the acceptance level of a new member service designed to attract future donors.
Deciding on the research methodology to use depends on the nature of your question, who has the answers and how to get those answers in the easiest, quickest and most accurate way.
For example, if you’re doing a feasibility study in preparation for a major campaign, you’ll check your fundraising track record over the past several years, and you’ll likely check your current database to ensure your feasibility study interviews are with those most likely to support the campaign.
Who will do the work?
Once you’ve decided on the methodology, it is time to make a decision on who will do the work.
If you have the time and the expertise, we suggest you do the work.
If you have the time, but you don’t have the expertise, yet you are willing to learn what you need to know, then go out and get the expertise you need – from a mentor, a recognized educational source, or a person, individual or company that has the expertise.
If you don’t have the time, but you do have the expertise, then you’re in the position to design and test your research and pass it on to a research enterprise to do the work and report on the findings.
And finally, if you have neither the time nor the expertise, then you’ll need to get both from the marketplace. You’ll need to hire a research company that can provide you with the expertise and the human resources to get the job done.
When will you do the work?
Let’s assume for the moment that you want to do a survey of major donors and high net worth individuals to find out what other causes they support. And let’s assume that your organization is a multi-purpose agency; finding out this information may help you categorize your donors in terms of their “charitable investment interest” and therefore may provide you with an opportunity to offer donors charitable giving options they are most likely to choose.
When would you conduct this survey? What do you think would be the best time of the year to ask this question? A couple of considerations come to mind for us.
Many folks make their donations at the end of the calendar year in an effort to maximize tax benefit. So our sense is that we’d probably conduct the study some time after the end of the calendar year, and before the tax deadline. That is the time that most people are likely to review their charitable giving record for the past year. There may be other times that work equally well. The point is, think it through in a manner that allows research respondents give you better answers and can help you as the researcher get a better response rate.
What approvals do you need?
Be sure your organization is informed on what it is you are doing, why you’re doing it, and who in the community you’ll likely be in touch with during your research. Having informed colleagues, supervisors and board provides you with an opportunity to garner support for what you’re doing.
How much will it cost?
We don’t think research is a cost. We think of it as an investment.
Research is an investment that can be structured and presented as such to decision makers. If you do research, it can save you money just as easily as it can make you money.
Let’s say you want to launch a fundraising effort for a new building to support child safety in your community. You can spend tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars on the initiative, only to find out it does not get the support you thought it would get. It is cheaper to spend a few thousand dollars on research than to spend $100,000 on a failed initiative.
Similar arguments can be made to show the business case you believe is likely, should the research results turn out the way you suspect they might. It is a risk. But if you qualify and quantify the risk, you’ll find support for your research venture easier to come by.
What do you do with the research results?
Nothing is more likely to get you more support for your next research initiative than sharing the results of your current initiative.
At the very least, the results need to be shared with your supervisor. You may also wish to share them with research participants. And if you and your supervisor deem it advisable, boards are always interested in learning more about their organizations and those donors who support them
Finally, if you do research, use the results to benefit your organizations. Sometimes the results will tell you that the timing is not right. Sometimes you’ll learn that you need to take action now. Sometimes you’ll modify your approach and your goals and objectives.
As the saying goes, “use it or lose it.” The same is true with research findings. You just have to use them for the benefit of your organization. If you don’t, you’ll find it very difficult to get your next research investment.
