Would you build a group, or use a pre-existing record for an organization?

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Robin MeadorWoodruff
Robin MeadorWoodruff ✭
Eighth Anniversary First Reply
in Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT®: General Discussion
Hello! I hope someone has dealt with this before and can offer advice.


One of our constituents is a garden club that is entered in our database as an organization. We do not have any information about the individuals within this garden club, just the understanding that the organization *is* the individuals. I am adding constituent records for each of the garden club ladies, but am wondering about the best practice advisability of 1) giving them each a relationship to named garden club organization already in our database, or 2) making them a group in their own right and linking them that way. We want to make sure no one slips by uninvited to our annual fundraiser, and we want to be able to solidify their tie to the museum. The ladies might not each be donors in their own right, but their garden club is a major donor to the museum, hence, they are donors by extension.


Thoughts anyone? Relationship to existing organization, or set up a new group?

Thanks for your help!

Robin Meador-Woodruff

Birmingham Museum of Art
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  • Linda Burns 2
    Linda Burns 2 ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Photogenic
    My advice would be to create an individual record (or use existing record) for each of the ladies and link them to the organization - especially if you want to communicate with them separately. That way you can track all of the interactions with each of the members. I'm not familiar with the ability to group them ... Is it an Event group that you're referring to? 

    Linda
  • Cheryl Cummings
    Cheryl Cummings ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Name Dropper Photogenic

    Robin Meador-Woodruff:

    Hello! I hope someone has dealt with this before and can offer advice.


    One of our constituents is a garden club that is entered in our database as an organization. We do not have any information about the individuals within this garden club, just the understanding that the organization *is* the individuals. I am adding constituent records for each of the garden club ladies, but am wondering about the best practice advisability of 1) giving them each a relationship to named garden club organization already in our database, or 2) making them a group in their own right and linking them that way. We want to make sure no one slips by uninvited to our annual fundraiser, and we want to be able to solidify their tie to the museum. The ladies might not each be donors in their own right, but their garden club is a major donor to the museum, hence, they are donors by extension.


    Thoughts anyone? Relationship to existing organization, or set up a new group?

    Thanks for your help!

    Robin Meador-Woodruff

    Birmingham Museum of Art

    From what you describe, I would link the individual ladies' constituent records to the garden club organization record with relationships. In fact, I would not necessarily create individual constituent records for the ladies unless they give separately from the Garden Club or have event attendance or additional relationships you want to capture that is not capture-able on an organization relationship record. I believe this suggestion would align with Raiser's Edge best practices and meet your needs going forward. Hope that helps!

  • Lauren Short
    Lauren Short ✭
    Ninth Anniversary Facilitator 1 Photogenic

    We would add each individual as a relationship & individidual constituent record. Then, reciprocate the relationship both ways between individual and garden club record!

     

  • Christine Cooke 2
    Christine Cooke 2 ✭
    Ancient Membership Facilitator 4 Name Dropper Photogenic

    Robin Meador-Woodruff:

    Hello! I hope someone has dealt with this before and can offer advice.


    One of our constituents is a garden club that is entered in our database as an organization. We do not have any information about the individuals within this garden club, just the understanding that the organization *is* the individuals. I am adding constituent records for each of the garden club ladies, but am wondering about the best practice advisability of 1) giving them each a relationship to named garden club organization already in our database, or 2) making them a group in their own right and linking them that way. We want to make sure no one slips by uninvited to our annual fundraiser, and we want to be able to solidify their tie to the museum. The ladies might not each be donors in their own right, but their garden club is a major donor to the museum, hence, they are donors by extension.


    Thoughts anyone? Relationship to existing organization, or set up a new group?

    Thanks for your help!

    Robin Meador-Woodruff

    Birmingham Museum of Art

    My suggestion is make them each have a relationship with the Garden Club on the Relationship Tab.  And be sure to utilize the Relationship and Reciprocal fields appropriately so that you can track who they are and pull lists etc.
  • Susan Chomsky
    Susan Chomsky ✭
    Tenth Anniversary Facilitator 2 Name Dropper Photogenic

    Christine Cooke:

    Robin Meador-Woodruff:

    Hello! I hope someone has dealt with this before and can offer advice.


    One of our constituents is a garden club that is entered in our database as an organization. We do not have any information about the individuals within this garden club, just the understanding that the organization *is* the individuals. I am adding constituent records for each of the garden club ladies, but am wondering about the best practice advisability of 1) giving them each a relationship to named garden club organization already in our database, or 2) making them a group in their own right and linking them that way. We want to make sure no one slips by uninvited to our annual fundraiser, and we want to be able to solidify their tie to the museum. The ladies might not each be donors in their own right, but their garden club is a major donor to the museum, hence, they are donors by extension.


    Thoughts anyone? Relationship to existing organization, or set up a new group?

    Thanks for your help!

    Robin Meador-Woodruff

    Birmingham Museum of Art

    My suggestion is make them each have a relationship with the Garden Club on the Relationship Tab.  And be sure to utilize the Relationship and Reciprocal fields appropriately so that you can track who they are and pull lists etc.

     

    This is how we track members of Orgs. If they have a constituent record we reciprocate if not we just list them. Relationship =Member and Reciprocal=Organization

  • Melissa S Graves
    Melissa S Graves ✭
    Ninth Anniversary Facilitator 3 Photogenic

    Robin Meador-Woodruff:

    Hello! I hope someone has dealt with this before and can offer advice.


    One of our constituents is a garden club that is entered in our database as an organization. We do not have any information about the individuals within this garden club, just the understanding that the organization *is* the individuals. I am adding constituent records for each of the garden club ladies, but am wondering about the best practice advisability of 1) giving them each a relationship to named garden club organization already in our database, or 2) making them a group in their own right and linking them that way. We want to make sure no one slips by uninvited to our annual fundraiser, and we want to be able to solidify their tie to the museum. The ladies might not each be donors in their own right, but their garden club is a major donor to the museum, hence, they are donors by extension.


    Thoughts anyone? Relationship to existing organization, or set up a new group?

    Thanks for your help!

    Robin Meador-Woodruff

    Birmingham Museum of Art

    What do you mean by add them to a "group"? What functionality in RE are you talking about? I would use relationships.

  • Robin MeadorWoodruff
    Robin MeadorWoodruff ✭
    Eighth Anniversary First Reply
    Apologies! This was posted to Altru and somehow jumped into RE! There are groups, similar to households, in Altru. These are a way to bring many people together who are unrelated except for an interest or endeavor. Sorry for the confusion!

    Best,

    Robin

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