Multiple market foundations - one healthcare system

Margaret Whitaker

Good morning all, the healthcare system at which I work has multiple market foundations which, in the past, operated independently from one another.  As we have moved under one umbrella we are looking at restructing the database to better identify contributions to each of the markets. Currently, the foundations are primarily identified at first glance through the constituency coding which is a combination of market name constituency code combined with either Individual/Foundation/Organisation/ etc.  I’m curious to know how other healthcare foundations in similar circumstances have re-coded their constituent records for a more streamlined market identification.  The funds are market driven so that is one way.  However, is there a higher level "umbrella" coding that is best practice to follow that would be beneficial for regular reporting etc without resorting to a dependence on it being only fund driven.  Thank you, in advance, for any and all responses. 


Best, Margaret

Stephanie Ulmer

Margaret, have you considered using campaigns to make the distinctions between each different foundation, then use constituent codes to identify them as their relationship with your organization? Things such as Patient, President Level Donor, Associate Level Donor, Business, Private Foundation, etc for your constituent codes?

 

 

Margaret Whitaker

Hi Stephanie, thanks for your suggestions which I wish that we could use.  However, we can't use the Campaign field as it is used for multiple campaigns on a regular basis. 

Margaret

Heather MacKenzie

Here's how we handle multiple locations in my database.  Each campaign, appeal, fund and constituent code starts with a letter to identify which location the gift or the record belongs to.  More than one location does Direct Mail, for example, so I have multiple Direct Mail campaigns, S - Direct Mail, F - Direct Mail, C - Direct Mail, and so on.  This allows for unique coding of gifts but you could still pull total regional direct mail giving into one query or report if you needed to.  My constituent codes work the same way, with the location identifier letter at the beginning, and then multiple constituent codes can sit on a record at one time.  Would this work for you?