Newcastle University
Raiser's Edge CRM management and information governance
Project overview
Newcastle University Advancement’s team set out to modernise their data management processes within Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge 7 and NXT. Their goal was to enhance operational efficiency, support their growth, and fully equip their team to manage their data confidently. While they had already made progress in developing an information governance framework, they needed expert support to establish clear procedures, simplify workflows, and embed lasting improvements.
How we approached it
Assess
We began with a comprehensive review of their existing data management processes to understand current workflows, identify inefficiencies, and assess compliance with best practices.
This included mapping how tasks such as data imports, exports, and reporting were being handled, highlighting areas for improvement and opportunities to streamline their operations.
Plan
With the insights gathered, we worked collaboratively with the Advancement team to design clear, user-friendly workflows within Raiser’s Edge NXT.
These workflows were built to simplify and speed up key data tasks, making the platform easier to navigate and empowering the team to use the system more efficiently. Additionally, we developed a robust information governance framework that reinforced data protection compliance while remaining practical and adaptable.
Implement
We configured the system to support the updated workflows and governance processes, making adjustments to ensure the system met the team’s unique needs.
Alongside this, we provided tailored support to help the team embed these changes into their day-to-day work, ensuring consistency and alignment with best practices.
Succeed
To ensure the team could maintain and build on the improvements, we delivered tailored training sessions for both Raiser’s Edge 7 and NXT. The training focused on upskilling the team in key areas such as data imports, exports, and reporting, equipping them with the confidence to manage the system independently. We also introduced best practices for troubleshooting and ongoing data management, empowering the team to sustain long-term success.
Feedback
“The only way to describe Paula’s impact at Newcastle University is that it has been quite simply transformative. Her depth of insight into the needs of a fast-paced fundraising office means that she not only knows the solutions to the trickiest challenges, but usually anticipates the questions that are going to be asked before we have even thought of them.
Her technical abilities and knowledge of the legislative frameworks for fundraising and marketing have won confidence at the highest levels, while her pragmatic approach to ‘getting the job done’ has set a powerful positive example to the team. She has helped us to exceed our goals for fundraising and engagement and to grasp the potential for the use of new technologies to further accelerate our work.
Most importantly, her commitment to bringing out the best in others and to grounding all her work in a desire to make a positive difference in the world shines out as an inspiring example of leadership at its best. I have no doubt at all that Paula’s transformative abilities will be of the greatest value to her future clients”.
– Paul Tyack is Director of Advancement at Newcastle University
Paul is leading a team with responsibility for relationships with a global community of over 275,000 alumni and the £300m fundraising Campaign for Newcastle University. His career has included major gift, programme development and campaign management experience with Barnardo’s, the Anne Frank Trust UK and the University of York. Paul is co-Chair of Alumni Relations for CASE Europe 2024 and a trustee of the National Centre for Early Music.