“At Greenpeace, we started using Forward this year as our new planning, profitability, and monitoring tool, after testing it in 2023 alongside our old system.
As fundraisers in the non-profit sector in general, and myself being a senior loyalty fundraiser specifically, we are always looking for ways to better predict and optimize our fundraising programmes and outcomes. This tool has been instrumental in taking a big step forward (no pun intended) in that regard.
Forward has provided us with more insight into the long term profitability of our fundraising programmes and a better way of monitoring these programmes throughout the year(s). The different templates, calculations and reports within Forward not only give us a uniform way of working, but also create more ownership and insight for the fundraisers responsible for the different programmes and channels.
One of the most beneficial parts of Forward however, I have found, is the specific questions Forward asks you when filling in new plans. Starting with the segmentation you choose and ending with the data drivers you need to fill in, like sign-up, average gift, cost per donor combined with no-show, fulfillment and retention. The honest and comprehensive image it creates of our programs throughout the current and upcoming four years, has helped us make choices on what to upscale, downscale and where and what to focus on moving forward.
Although Reinier likes to say Forward is a big calculator, I would argue it is more than that. It forces you to ask the tough questions every fundraiser needs to ask about their programmes and about their profitability. It forces you to look at your programmes in a new light and to make the hard choices you need to make, in order to step up your fundraising game and aim for better results.
Not only do we owe that to our respective non-profits and the goals we hope to obtain, but most of all we owe that to our donors.”
Reviews
Eva van der Zee - Senior Fundraiser Loyalty & Retention, Greenpeace Netherlands
“I want to express my sincere appreciation for the collaborative effort with Reinier in implementing the planning & monitoring tool Forward within our fundraising team. Our integration of last year's fundraising plan and investments into the tool proved to be a game-changer as we actively monitored our progress throughout the year. While there was an initial learning curve in adapting to Forward's distinct structure compared to our database, the effort invested in inputting variables for various segments paid off remarkably. We now find ourselves examining data that was previously inaccessible, and the insights gained have proven to be truly invaluable.
The distinctive feature of Forward, allowing us to project five years into the future, has provided us with crucial insights into the long-term profitability of specific programs. This foresight has empowered us to make informed choices about our investments, and the monthly actuals input has translated into realistic end-of-year forecasts. Reinier's quarterly meetings were instrumental in providing essential data insights, identifying areas requiring further analysis, and guiding us with targeted questions to enhance our decision-making process.
Thanks to Forward, we successfully maintained control over our investments and income targets this year. As we eagerly anticipate planning for the upcoming year, we feel empowered and excited about the prospect of continued collaboration with Reinier in our quarterly meetings.
Reinier has proven to be a valuable partner, offering strategic planning expertise and invaluable insights into the world of fundraising. We look forward to another year of fruitful collaboration and achieving new milestones together!”
Jessica de Gier - Database Marketeer, Leprastichting
“In my career, I have often contributed to various planning tools for organizations. These tools have ranged from overly complex to overly simplistic Excel documents that ultimately fail to be well-embedded within fundraising teams. This lack of integration leads to long-term planning knowledge being held by individuals and not being used or consulted in the long run.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the long-term effects of the decisions made in designing a healthy and well-founded fundraising mix, Forward is an excellent tool.
It provides a solid foundation for quickly comparing and contrasting different scenarios. The output in clear tables and graphs ensures that the overall strategy is visually clear, even for non-fundraising professionals. This is particularly useful, for example, in supporting a Board of Trustees.
Within our team, we have adopted the tool to become more data-driven, allowing fundraisers to have better control and insight into the dynamics of underlying variables. By establishing these variables together, we can collaborate on improving quality and gaining insights. This approach fosters a better understanding within the team of the holistic objectives that extend beyond a budget and long-term vision.
Furthermore, the tool compels you to know the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), prompting a reevaluation of your current reporting structure. Do you have all the necessary information at hand to monitor your programs and objectives?
Looking to the future, I hope that organizations using Forward will collaborate to learn from each other. The existence of a standardized planning tool used by multiple organizations allows for cross-learning and benchmarking at various levels within one's own organization.
Thanks Reinier for your commitment to a more data minded sector!”
Fernando van der Brug - Director Private Fundraising, Simavi
“We have struggled for a long time with the dilemma of keeping acquisition budgets flexible in order to respond quickly and adapt to trends and opportunities, while on the other hand always continuing to test based on LTV/ROI projections. We have tried different tools, but it remains complex. It is fantastic that there now is a tool that works for fundraising channel specialists, but also provides the right insights and considerations that management and financial colleagues can understand."
Sarah Clifton - Head of Fundraising, Marketing & Partnerships, Save the Children Netherlands