These PowerPoint slides from an online training present best practices, processes, and tips for caring for your organization’s data.

Below are a number of database-related information and resources, posted in conjunction with the USA PATRIOT Act documentation and toolkits.

TechSoup has a set of resources specific to data care, database planning, software selection, custom development, implementation and maintenance:

Database planning assistance                                               Database needs assessment

View the report at: http://www.idealware.org/IW_software_survey_report.pdf

As Quoted from Laura Quinn of Idealware:

"Thanks very much to everyone who filled out the nonprofit software survey that went out in July - the one intended to assess the feasibility of creating a nonprofit dedicated to providing frank, Consumer Reports style reviews of nonprofit software tools."

"The results - from 261 responses - were very interesting.  There is a huge amount of time and money being spent on software.  The estimates of the survey participants alone total to 7.7 Million dollars worth of time and money spent evaluating and purchasing software (and this is just 261 of more than 550,000 nonprofits who filed 990s last year). The results of this spending are not promising, however:  only 58% surveyed felt their organization had the right software tools to do their job, and only 49% felt their tech team was aware of most of the tools that would be helpful.  There's a lot more information in the survey report, which is available for free online.  "

Since our database planning methodology has changed rather substantially since this Database Planning Guide came in out 2001, we enthusiastically encourage contributions!

 1)      Introduction

This is simply where we explain what we were attempting to do and how we attempted to do it. Imagine a reader who has never heard of either CompuMentor or the client. This section should give them an impression of who we are, what this planning document is supposed to accomplish, and how it came to be written.

[ORG]

[DATE]

Workshop Scheduled: [date and time]

Review Questions for Staff

[Org] is engaging in a database planning process to evaluate information management needs, and determine the priority needs for developing new processes and systems.  Participants in this process should be prepared to contribute specifics to describe how they gather, use and distribute information in their daily work.  The focus is on your information process, thus specific knowledge of technology hardware or software is not required to participate. 

Database Planning Process Evaluation

 

In an effort to improve our recommended database planning process we need your input. Your comments are extremely valuable, as is your experience using the materials and working with us. We will use your input to continue to develop a useful database planning process and workbook for nonprofit organizations.

Attached is a comprehensive Needs Assessment Questionnaire to be filled out either by or with your Client.