In This Issue

CJW Client Wins Data Integrity Awards!

CJW Serves As Data Czar

On-Site Training Gets Rave Reviews!

Sign Up

Quick Links

CJW Consulting Website

Information Integrity Coalition

Dear Cheryl,

Creativity, good judgment and the wisdom to recognize the importance of your data are the keys to successful use of software in any nonprofit organization. Our newsletter includes information to help you unravel the mysteries of data management and technology.

This issue focuses on some of our clients' success stories - two organizations who are successfully using their software resources to move them forward and help them meet their goals.

CJW Client Wins Data Integrity Awards!

Bottom row: Jeanne Devore, IT Manager (l) and Margaret Reeder, Director of Ticketing and Guest Services, Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST)

Top row: Michael Newberry, CST Deputy Director (l); Database Consultant Cheryl Weissman, CJW Consulting; Michael Wood, CST Director of Planning and Program Development

CJW was retained by Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) to guide them through a move to a new, organization-wide software application. Throughout the process, data integrity has been a primary focus. It has been critical to ensure that, as different areas are using the same information for their specific needs, they are doing so in a consistent fashion.

The conversion and ongoing data management have been so successful that CST was honored with not one, but two awards from the Excellence in Information Integrity Coalition! Amidst applicants from organizations including American Express and Wal- Mart, CST was awarded both the Leadership and Overall Excellence in Data Integrity awards.

CJW's work on this project with CST began with the transfer of box office and development data to the new software. Within a 90-day timeframe, we converted their box office software (ProVenue) and their development software (Raiser's Edge) into Tessitura.

Since that initial implementation, we have converted Group Sales and Education applications into Tessitura, with other departments slated to be converted in the coming months. As use of the software expands within and between departments, CJW remains on retainer to help CST maximize their software investment.

Click here to read more about the EII Awards

CJW Serves As Data Czar

Waubonsee Community College Foundation called on CJW Consulting to jump start their fundraising software database.

After Waubonsee Community College (WCC) purchased Raiser's Edge for their foundation, staff shortages and a lack of affordable local training and support for Raiser's Edge brought them to CJW Consulting & Services.

For eight months, CJW served as WCC's "data czar", making weekly visits, During this time, CJW managed their Raiser's Edge system, prepared an internal policies and procedures manual to help ensure consistent data entry, working closely with staff to be sure that mailings were properly managed and reports were timely and accurate.

CJW also worked with WCC staff to implement an interface between Raiser's Edge and the student database. CJW services enabled this new and fast-growing development office to send out their first-ever alumni mailing.

One critical piece of this project was staff training. Halfway into the CJW contract, we provided an on-site training for the staff, using WCC data and real examples to maximize the value of the sessions.

As WCC now seeks to replace CJW's weekly visits with a full-time staff person, they do so with data entry standards firmly in place, a database that has jumped from under 200 records to over 50,000 students, alumni, board members, scholarship donors, marketing contacts and more.

On-Site Training Gets Rave Reviews!

We bring our expert training to you!

The best way to maintain data integrity in your fundraising software is to train multiple staff members to use the software in the most effective way for your organization.

Unfortunately, classroom training provided by software vendors is not generally affordable enough to allow for training more than one or two people. And a classroom training using sample data that looks nothing like your own data can be more confusing than helpful.

CJW has been providing on-site software training since 1993.

• We do our training at your site, using your data
• Training is geared toward the needs of your organization
• Train all desired staff at an affordable daily rate

What are some of the benefits of CJW's on-site training?

• Increases retention of information by as much as 48%
• Using your own data means that all examples are meaningful and more easily understood
• Less staff time lost to travel
• Training can be customized to meet your specific needs

CJW trainers have provided fundraising software training to over 125 organizations in 7 states to date, including:

• Chicago Shakespeare Theater (Tessitura)
• United Methodist Higher Education Foundation, Nashville (Raiser's Edge)
• Board of Jewish Education, Northbrook Illinois (Results/plus!)
• Methodist Children's Home, Waco Texas (Raiser's Edge)
• Catholic Charities-Diocese of Joliet Illinois (Raiser's Edge)
• St. Catherine's High School, Racine Wisconsin (Results/plus! and Raiser's Edge)
• Air Force Villages, San Antonio Texas (Raiser's Edge)

Training is available for a variety of products, including Raiser's Edge , Results/plus, Tessitura, Exceed, DonorPerfect, Microsoft Access, and more. Don't see your product listed? Call us!

Thank you for reading this newsletter. Please visit our website (CJW Consulting & Services, Inc.) for more information about CJW services. Currently we are offering a free half-day of consulting to nonprofits who email a request from the website before November 30, 2006.

Cheryl J. Weissman
CJW Consulting & Services, Inc.

Email: info@cjwconsulting.com
Phone: 800/977-6377
Web: http://www.cjwconsulting.com