APRA Canada: Past Professional Development Sessions

Proving Your Worth: Implementing an Effective Research Tracking System

Session Description
If you've ever been asked to report on your research shop, you know how difficult it can be to answer your Director's questions: Which fundraisers request the most profiles? Which projects are taking up most of your time? What is your turnaround time for different types of research requests? How long do you spend, on average, on different types of research? You can go beyond anecdotal reports with the implementation of a research tracking system. An effective research tracking system can also help you connect your research to your organization's overall fundraising success and argue for more resources. This webinar will answer your questions about where to start, what to track and how to report, with examples from the evolution of a research tracking system at Carleton University.

The level of this session is basic to intermediate.

Speaker Biography
Shelly Steenhorst-Baker
Shelly Steenhorst-Baker is the Research Officer for Carleton University. She works with a team of a prospect manager, two records and data specialists and students to meet the Department of University Advancement's prospect research needs (45 people, with 12 fundraisers). Shelly came to the nonprofit world following work as a lawyer. She has a Postgraduate Certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management from Humber College, an LL.B. from the University of Ottawa and an Honours B.A. (in Women's Studies and Classical Studies) from Trent University.