University College Cork has five key priorities—UCC Student Experience, UCC Futures (research clusters), Arts & Culture, Sustainability and UCC Innovation—that are outlined under the university’s long-range strategic plan. The university’s funding goals are aligned with these key projects and making the move from Raiser’s Edge 7 to Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT was part of this success plan.

Upgrading to the modern software solution was in the university’s pipeline for years, as UCC recognised the insight opportunities it could bring to their key projects. While the main purpose of upgrading their Blackbaud solution was to showcase data in a better, more functional way for the wider team, they initially wanted to get key stakeholders engaged with campaign data. “Within the department, we seemed to have worked in silos a lot, and the goal we were aiming for was to try and get everybody consistent and working together and knowing how to use the very powerful and new system that we had invested in,” explained Geraldine Taylor, Senior Data Officer.

Now, this powerful technology plays a key role in helping the team achieve UCC’s ambitious strategic plans. “Previously, our fundraising was very reactive, and this will allow us to be more proactive. It has been an enabler in having us make strategic decisions for better fundraising to encourage the longevity of our projects, rather than reacting to what’s maybe a funding need this year.” shared Gillian McCarthy, Senior Prospect Researcher and Due Diligence Officer.

Changing Attitudes and Saving Time with Data

Taylor and McCarthy have become a central hub of the campaign development project, and they use Raiser’s Edge NXT for nearly every aspect of advancement operations. The pair actively converses with different units of the team on how to tell stories with the data and influence decision-making by showcasing the evidenced information that can be drawn from the tool. “It’s the beating heart of what we are all about. Without it, we would not function as efficiently, Taylor said.

Before migrating to Raiser’s Edge NXT, UCC struggled to maximise the use of their data. The database was viewed more as a stagnant data storage rather than a useful two-way tool. Upon engaging with the software, the wider team begun to realise the benefits it offers. “People started to understand why we share information and the benefits of recording that on the database,” McCarthy explained.

“We went from just lists, numbers, and boring Excel spreadsheets to having this beautiful visual that we can categorise, break down, and see it for what it is exactly. The details show what’s working and what isn’t, and how we should move forward strategically,” Taylor continued.

McCarthy, who works closely with fundraisers, experienced this first-hand. By taking advantage of the enhanced data insights, the team identified the university’s biggest donors and discovered they were as successful in their fundraising from trusts and foundations as they were in soliciting individuals. The data also showed that legacy giving was an area for growth.

These insights now help the team make better decisions about where to spend their time and resources. Relating back to the five key strategic priorities, better visibility into donor behaviour, and previously untapped opportunities has also highlighted the need for fundraising diversification. While UCC Student Experience is the university’s flagship project, removing barriers to education and serving the whole student population of 24,000, the team is now able to identify opportunities of higher value per funding area more easily.

On top of taking advantage of realigned, structured, and more readable data, Taylor and McCarthy can save time in their daily operations. Taylor, having run a small test out of curiosity, could export a detailed Giving Tuesday report within minutes. Before, she would have spent closer to an hour to generate the same level of result. McCarthy is also pleased with the increased efficiencies, predicting that the automation provided through Raiser’s Edge NXT will continue to be “a huge timesaver.”

Managing Change and Driving Value with Blackbaud Customer Success

University College Cork has a nearly 30-year relationship with Blackbaud. “It’s the leading software provider in the higher education area for fundraising. It’s constantly developing, and support—I have to say—is second to none, and you get answers quickly. You know how to find answers, you know who to go to, and the turnover time trying to find something out is exceptional,” Taylor said.

Despite this, change is never easy to navigate, and new tools can take time to learn without guidance. When introducing Raiser’s Edge NXT, the UCC team started working with their dedicated Blackbaud Customer Success manager to streamline the process. This turned out to be key in getting stakeholders excited and engaged with the software. Workshops ran by their Customer Success manager were the first step in getting everyone involved, and the excitement was palpable.

“We were looking for somebody who understood us, our needs, and requirements, and who would help us get customer value from the product. We knew we had a very good system—we had invested greatly into it—and to work with somebody who explained things to us clearly and told us, ‘Set your own pace,’ was extremely helpful. Everything was explained, and it was a very easy partnership and experience,” Taylor said.

While the team could progress at their own pace, the proactive and efficient assistance they received from Blackbaud Customer Success helped drive the database project forward. “If we had planned change alone, it would have become very long-fingered project. I don’t think we would have gotten this far this quickly—I think it would have taken us years,” McCarthy reflected.

While there is still some work ahead in realising the best ways to maximise opportunities with Raiser’s Edge NXT, the team now has the technology needed to help UCC achieve their vision for social impact. The team is excited to continue driving the impact of this database project further through their success plan. In considering their journey, Taylor offered the following advice to others considering a similar transformation: “Trust in the process. It can be difficult, but especially when you have management buy-in, it’s well worth it. You learn so much, and you get excited about what’s happening. It will greatly benefit processes and efficiencies and reduce the ridiculous amount of time you spend trying to create reports.”