CRM – Getting Fundraisers to Enter Data

A Manager’s No-Nonsense Guide

One of the most common headaches for fundraising managers is getting their team to properly document activities, opportunities, and other critical information in the organisation’s CRM. It’s not glamorous work, but it is absolutely non-negotiable if your fundraising operation is going to be sustainable, scalable, and successful. The truth is, if it’s not in the CRM, it didn’t happen.

Here’s how you, as a manager, can ensure that your team not only understands the importance of CRM data entry but actually makes it a habit.

1. Lead by Example

If you’re not using the CRM yourself—logging your own meetings, updating opportunities, and recording donor notes—you’ll have zero credibility when asking your team to do it. Fundraisers will notice when managers cut corners. Be visible in your CRM use and talk about it openly.

2. Tie Data Entry to Performance Metrics

Too often, KPIs focus solely on revenue raised or donor visits completed. Fix that. Incorporate CRM hygiene into your KPIs. For example:

• 100% of donor meetings logged within 24 hours
• Opportunities updated monthly
• All contacts documented before submitting expenses or claiming credit for gifts

When it’s measured, it matters. When it’s not measured, it gets ignored.

3. Make CRM Use Part of the Culture

Data management isn’t just a chore—it’s a professional responsibility. Use team meetings to review pipeline reports and dashboards from the CRM. Celebrate successes you can see in the system. If a donor meeting wasn’t logged, it didn’t happen and doesn’t get discussed. Create a culture where CRM data powers your conversations, reporting, and strategy.

4. Remove Excuses by Fixing System Friction

Sometimes fundraisers don’t log data because your CRM is clunky, forms are too long, or mobile access is poor. Identify pain points:

• Are key fields overwhelming or redundant?
• Can activities be logged easily via mobile or Outlook?
• Are there quick templates or shortcuts available?

Work with your CRM administrator to streamline data entry so it’s not a burden.

5. Audit Regularly and Follow Up Quickly

Run monthly audits to spot missing data—like opportunities with no next step or donors with no recent contact report. Don’t wait until year-end reviews. Address gaps quickly. A quick email or one-on-one conversation keeps expectations clear and accountability sharp.

6. Make Data Visible and Useful

People take data entry more seriously when they see its value. Use CRM data to generate useful reports for fundraisers:

• Who’s in your major gift pipeline?
• Which donors haven’t been contacted this quarter?
• Which opportunities are stuck with no activity?

When the CRM becomes a practical tool to help fundraisers hit their goals, rather than a bureaucratic exercise, adoption improves.

7. Reward Good Behaviour

Recognition works. Publicly acknowledge those who keep their records in great shape. Consider small incentives—gift cards, shout-outs in meetings—for CRM champions. Positive reinforcement beats nagging every time.

Data Entry Is Fundraising

Fundraisers aren’t just relationship managers—they’re stewards of institutional knowledge. A relationship that lives in someone’s head is a risk. A relationship captured in the CRM is an asset. As a manager, it’s your job to make that crystal clear and unavoidable.

Because fundraising success isn’t just about closing gifts—it’s about building a pipeline, sustaining relationships, and making sure your organisation’s future fundraisers aren’t starting from scratch.