In terms of maximizing donor intelligence, employer appending is usually a game-changer for nonprofits. By enriching your database with employment information—corresponding to the place your donors work and their eligibility for company giving packages—you unlock highly effective insights that may drive partnerships, income, and tailor-made engagement methods. However like every knowledge mission, success hinges on extra than simply good intentions. Many organizations rush into employer appends with out the correct planning, solely to come across disappointing outcomes. On this submit, we’ll stroll you thru 5 widespread employer appending errors nonprofits make throughout the course of—and, extra importantly, the right way to keep away from them.

These embrace:

1. Starting with unclean or disorganized data
2. Relying too fully on appends for data collection
3. Choosing the wrong data appending vendor
4. Lack of a data integration plan
5. Not using the insights to power workplace giving programs

Avoiding these pitfalls doesn’t require a large overhaul—only a extra intentional method. By understanding what can go incorrect and planning accordingly, your nonprofit can flip employer appending into a wise, strategic asset.

Let’s dive into the 5 key errors to be careful for—and the right way to sidestep them for higher outcomes.

One of the crucial widespread—and costliest—errors nonprofits make when starting an employer append is skipping the essential step of data hygiene. In case your donor information are riddled with typos, outdated contact information, or lacking key fields, even one of the best appending service will wrestle to return correct or helpful outcomes.

Why It Issues:
Employer append distributors match your knowledge towards exterior databases utilizing identifiers like identify, deal with, e mail, and telephone quantity. If that data is inaccurate, inconsistent, or incomplete, the probabilities of a profitable match drop considerably. Worse, it may possibly result in mismatched information or deceptive insights that hinder your fundraising as a substitute of serving to it.

Methods to Keep away from This Mistake:

• Run an information audit earlier than the append. Establish and flag duplicates, lacking fields, and formatting inconsistencies.
• Standardize your inputs. Be sure that names are constantly formatted (e.g., “John A. Smith” vs. “Smith, John A.”), addresses comply with USPS formatting, and emails are present.
• Fill within the gaps. Confirm and fill in primary data (like mailing deal with or telephone quantity) earlier than submitting your record for employer appending.
• Create a clear model of your record. Work with a deduplicated and verified subset of information for the append course of, particularly in case your full database accommodates outdated or inactive contacts.

Professional Tip: Cleansing up your knowledge upfront not solely boosts your match charges but additionally ensures you’re making selections primarily based on reliable data. By prioritizing clear, organized knowledge from the beginning, your nonprofit units the stage for a extra profitable—and actionable—employer append mission.

2. Relying too totally on appends for knowledge assortment

Employer appending is a strong instrument—nevertheless it shouldn’t be your solely technique for collecting donor employment data. One main mistake nonprofits make is leaning too closely on appending companies to fill in all of the gaps with out placing programs in place to collect this data instantly from supporters.

Why It Issues:
Appending companies are solely nearly as good as the info they match towards—and even one of the best suppliers can’t ship 100% protection. In case your donor file lacks sturdy figuring out data, or the donor merely isn’t within the exterior database, you’ll be left with incomplete outcomes. Extra importantly, relying solely on third-party sources limits your means to seize present, consent-based data instantly out of your viewers.

Methods to Keep away from This Mistake:

• Add employer fields to your types. Embrace elective fields for employer identify and job title in donation types, occasion registrations, volunteer sign-ups, and membership types.
• Use follow-up emails to collect information. After a donation or engagement, ship a quick thank-you e mail with a pleasant immediate asking supporters to share the place they work—particularly in the event you plan to pursue matching items or office giving.
• Combine employer information into donor conversations. Main present officers and stewardship workers can ask about employment throughout one-on-one outreach, particularly when constructing donor profiles.
• Incentivize responses. If applicable, tie employer information assortment to advantages—corresponding to informing donors they might be eligible for matching present packages.

Professional Tip: Be sure that your types make clear why you’re amassing employer knowledge. A easy line like “Many corporations match charitable items—inform us the place you’re employed to see in case your present may go additional!” will increase belief and response charges.

By constructing employer knowledge assortment into your common donor engagement, you create a extra full, up-to-date image of your supporters—one which enhances append efforts and will increase the accuracy of your fundraising methods.

3. Selecting the incorrect knowledge appending vendor

Not all employer appending distributors are created equal—and selecting the incorrect one can severely undermine your knowledge technique. Some nonprofits make the error of choosing a vendor primarily based solely on worth or comfort with out totally understanding what they’re getting by way of knowledge high quality, match charges, compliance, and ongoing help.

Why It Issues:
The seller you select determines how correct, full, and helpful your appended employer knowledge can be. A low-cost supplier could depend on outdated or restricted knowledge sources, leading to poor match charges or inaccurate employer data. Worse, distributors that don’t comply with data privacy regulations can expose your group to compliance dangers.

Methods to Keep away from This Mistake:

• Do your homework. Analysis the seller’s knowledge sources, match course of, and replace frequency. Are they utilizing verified, permission-based knowledge? How usually is their database refreshed?
• Ask about match methodology. Some distributors use deterministic matching (exact identifiers), whereas others depend on probabilistic strategies. Understanding the distinction helps set practical expectations about accuracy.
• Verify references and opinions. Ask for shopper testimonials or case research from comparable nonprofits. Find out how different organizations have used the service—and what sort of outcomes they noticed.
• Make clear deliverables. Be sure you know what fields you’ll obtain (e.g., employer identify, title, trade, location), how the info can be formatted, and the way lengthy the method will take.
• Perceive compliance and safety requirements. Select a vendor that prioritizes knowledge privateness, follows GDPR/CCPA the place relevant, and provides clear phrases on how knowledge is dealt with and saved.

Professional Tip: In the end, the proper vendor ought to act as a companion—not only a knowledge supplier. By selecting fastidiously, you make sure that the appended knowledge provides actual worth to your fundraising and outreach efforts quite than turning into a missed alternative or an administrative burden.

4. Lack of an information integration plan

One often-overlooked mistake within the employer appending course of is failing to plan how the brand new knowledge can be built-in again into your donor database or CRM. Chances are you’ll put money into a high-quality append and obtain a strong knowledge file, however with out a clear technique for incorporating that knowledge, the insights can find yourself sitting unused—or worse, inflicting confusion and litter.

Why It Issues:
Appended knowledge is simply worthwhile if it’s actionable. In case your CRM doesn’t have designated fields for employer data, or in case your staff isn’t skilled on the right way to entry and use the info, it is going to be tough to phase, goal, or interact donors successfully. Poor or inconsistent integration may also result in knowledge conflicts, duplicates, or model management points over time.

Methods to Keep away from This Mistake:

• Map the info earlier than the append. Evaluate your CRM construction prematurely and establish the place every discipline from the append (e.g., employer identify, job title, trade) will go. Create customized fields if obligatory.
• Set up import protocols. Assign somebody to handle the info import course of, making certain accuracy and consistency. This would possibly contain utilizing import instruments, operating deduplication scripts, or conducting spot checks.
• Flag or timestamp appended information. Mark information that had been up to date via the append so your staff can distinguish between donor-provided and third-party knowledge.
• Doc your course of. Keep clear inside documentation on the place the info lives, the way it was added, and the way it ought to be used going ahead. That is particularly useful for coaching workers or onboarding new staff members.

Professional Tip: Sync appended knowledge along with your matching present platform, advertising automation, or different fundraising instruments to set off customized campaigns—like notifying donors of matching present alternatives primarily based on their employer. It’s straightforward to upload an appends file to your Double the Donation account, for instance!

5. Not utilizing the insights to energy office giving packages

A stunning variety of nonprofits undergo the method of appending employer knowledge—solely to let these worthwhile insights sit unused. One of many largest missed alternatives is failing to leverage employer data to fuel workplace giving programs, corresponding to matching items, payroll giving, and company volunteer grants.

Why It Issues:
Employer knowledge isn’t simply good to have—with office giving alternatives out there, it may be a direct income driver. Many corporations supply donation matching packages or different types of charitable help for workers, however they usually go untapped just because the nonprofit doesn’t know which donors are eligible. In case your group collects employer data however doesn’t join it to office giving outreach, you’re leaving cash—and engagement—on the desk.

Methods to Keep away from This Mistake:

• Run an identical present eligibility examine. Use your appended employer knowledge with a instrument like Double the Donation to establish which donors work for corporations that supply matching items.
• Section your communications. Create focused outreach campaigns for donors who work at matching gift-eligible corporations. Tailor the messaging to tell them of the chance and information them via the matching course of.
• Replace your donation types and thank-you pages. Embrace prompts like “Does your employer match items?” or an employer search instrument so donors can take motion instantly after giving.
• Work along with your company companions. Use employer knowledge to establish excessive concentrations of donors inside sure corporations—then explore partnership opportunities, like sponsorships or worker giving drives.
• Incorporate into stewardship efforts. When thanking a donor, embrace a reminder about their firm’s office giving program when you have that data on file.

Professional Tip: Office giving isn’t nearly income—it’s additionally a good way to deepen donor engagement. When supporters see their employer amplifying their affect, it reinforces their dedication to your trigger.

Wrapping Up & Extra Employer Appends Assets

Employer appending can open new doorways for donor engagement, however provided that it’s finished thoughtfully. By avoiding these 5 widespread errors, you’ll place your group to benefit from your knowledge funding.

The secret is to deal with employer appending not as a fast repair however as a strategic instrument inside your broader fundraising and stewardship efforts. With the proper method, the insights you acquire can gasoline smarter campaigns, deeper donor relationships, and, in the end, higher affect.

Able to be taught extra about employer appends for nonprofit fundraising? Take a look at these extra really helpful assets: