Using Data and CRM Systems to Drive Major Gift Growth
A practical course for building the data discipline major giving needs — fields, stages, dashboards and hygiene that make donor work visible.
What you will learn
Eight lessons that build the major gift data system — fields, evidence, stages, dashboards, activity tracking and hygiene that make donor work reviewable.
Using Data and CRM Systems to Drive Major Gift Growth
Eight lessons that build the major gift data system — fields, evidence, stages, dashboards, activity tracking and hygiene that make donor work reviewable.
1 Define the Job of Major Gift Data
Separates useful major gift data from general database administration, vanity reporting and compliance record-keeping.
2 Build the Minimum Major Gift Record
Specifies the essential donor, relationship, capacity, stage, next-action and stewardship fields.
3 Record Evidence, Not Folklore
Teaches how to write CRM notes that support qualification and relationship judgement, without re-teaching qualification.
4 Use Stages Without Pretending Donors Are Linear
Defines practical stages and stage-change rules while guarding against mechanical progression.
5 Build Dashboards That Force Decisions
Designs views that reveal portfolio health, stalled donors, expected value and pipeline gaps.
6 Track Activity That Matters
Distinguishes meaningful donor-facing activity from low-value busyness and defines what must be recorded.
7 Maintain Data Hygiene and Ownership
Sets rules for duplicates, stale records, missing fields and ambiguous ownership.
8 Run CRM-Based Reviews That Improve Revenue Judgement
Uses reports to drive decisions about risk, timing, focus and revenue confidence.
A practical fit for teams building major giving.
Learn how to build the minimum major gift record, record evidence over folklore, and run CRM-based reviews that improve revenue judgement.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers for fundraising leaders deciding whether this course fits their team, training needs and practical workflow.
Is this a general CRM software training? +
No. It’s platform-agnostic — it teaches the fields, stages, dashboards and hygiene discipline major giving needs, not how to click through any specific system.
Is it only for database managers? +
No. It’s built for major gift officers, philanthropy managers, fundraising operations leads and development directors who use or manage the CRM.
How long is the course? +
The course contains 8 lessons. Lesson reading time totals roughly 75–90 minutes, with field-design and dashboard work likely taking it into the 2–3 hour range.
Is the course Australian-specific? +
Yes. The lessons use Australian giving and donor evidence throughout, while drawing carefully on relevant international research where useful.
Does it include realistic scenarios, not just theory? +
Yes. It includes fundraising moments built around donors stuck in “cultivation” for fourteen months with no real evidence, wealth-screening imports flooding the system, and pipeline reports with no next action behind them.
What should a team be able to do by the end? +
A team should be able to build the minimum major gift record, write evidence-based CRM notes, use stages without false precision, build decision-forcing dashboards and maintain data hygiene.
Using Data and CRM Systems to Drive Major Gift Growth
Turn your CRM into a management tool for major giving — not an administrative burden after the real work is done.
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