Frequently Asked Questions

Quite a few organisations state that they bought a database from someone else in the past, but that information is  now outdated. Go Figure.  If YOU have not updated information as you go along, did not practice donor cultivation etc – your database is going to be outdated. The same is going to happen every time you buy a new database - including this one

Yes – for all those who provide email addresses. Many are just for information as they have online applications or require proposals to be posted​ A large number of email’s are “catch-all” emails -only monitored when they accept proposals  Email addresses of CSI contact change regularly – especially where companies do not have dedicated CSI departments. Best practice is to verify address before you send off – this is also the first step of cultivation as described.

Fundraising has four main processes: ​ Cultivation: The process of building relationships with prospective nonprofit donors before a fundraising appeal is submitted Donor Identifying and Qualification: Identifying people and companies who may support company cause. Focus on identifying which of the potential donors are the most likely to support company cause significantly.  This is where database is relevant. Donor Solicitation: The Process of formally submitting requests to identified prospects – according to their requirements and processes Donor Stewardship: The ongoing process of acknowledging and nurturing relationships with donors after they have made a gift. This includes the full scope of accountability and reporting according to donor standards   In other words – an up-to-date database is only ONE small tool in the bigger process. If you do not build relationships with funders, if you do not match with correct donors, if you do not align your proposal with funder focus- having a donor name and contact details will not ensure success.

Database is updated twice per year and ongoing basis [ individual contacts/information updated as we do proposal writing for ourselves or for those organisations we do donor-solicitation for. To update over 2000 contacts takes a few months. By the time it is completed; it can be seen as both updated and outdated. But if basic fundraising processes is applied- i.e. cultivation before solicitaion- [ both in this database and any databases you may already have] this should not a problem.

Our services exist on a "continuum." The Database is a standalone product. The Donor Founding and Takeoff offering is also a standalone product [and includes the database - does not need to be purchased seperately]. The proposal writing service is dependent on the a Donor Portfolio[take - off and founding] being completed by Elizayo.

Elizayo's Donor Matching and Proposal writing services is not a standalone process, but as a high-performance engine in the middle of YOUR organizational fundraising machine. If the phases before and after the proposal is weak, the proposal—no matter how technically perfect—will likely fail. Meaning if you do not cultivate donor relationships [before and after proposal was sent] your proposal will just be one of many in the donor inbox.