I lTapesfryGo Weavingthe Webof Communicationsfor the Charity World Fund Raising Software Suites Become Total Communication Systems in the Next Century Background Among the first results we can focus on are the raw size and complexity of such sophisticated Fund Raising software suites have evolved from systems. Hundreds of thousands if not millions basic card files and paper based systems to of lines of code comprise these systems. This sophisticated behemoths of integrated software requires an equally large, powerful and costly with extensive design and scope. Virtually all hardware and operating system environment. such systems in the late 90 's are Windows based Storage, memory and processor requirements for for easier use and market acceptance. Prior to the software system and the equally expansive the explosion of the Internet and more operating systems such as Windows 95/98, importantly the Worm Wide Web, a Windows UNIX, Windows NT and others require the very interface was' the most user friendly based on latest in hardware to operate anywhere near an early to mid 90 's technology, efficient rate. Fund raising software systems were created to It is now not uncommon for the operating handle the record keeping duties associated with system and the full set of software code to fund raising activities. The responsibility for require hundreds of megabytes of storage, utilizing and maintaining these systems were, multiple high level processors and maximum more times than not, relegated to support staff memory not only at the core server but also for members only. Over time, various add-on eve_ry workstation! A quote from the July 20, modules for such items as executive reporting, 1998 issue of PC-Week within the article titled prospect research, planned giving and NT Beta 2 Inches Closer readily illustrates the membership moved some usage onto other staff above facts. "The increasing size of NT 5.0 is members' desks. This may or may not have giving some beta testers installation nightmares. included executive management. Rarely, if ever, There is over half a gig of code here, and it's did such systems include as users such important very resource intensive. On a pretty fast groups as board members, volunteers, donors, machine with all the bells and whistles, the CPU affiliated agencies, prospective donors and other utilization was hovering at 75 percent." related individuals. When the charity adds this hardware cost to the Introduction expense of purchasing and/or upgrading an equally large software application, we see our first result quite rapidly. Such costs for The increases in sophistication and the hardware, cabling, operating systems and integration of add-on modules and other software can now reach one hundred to applications have created several unfortunate several hundred thousand dollars depending results. The first few mentioned here are quite on the number of users! easily recognized, whereas the latter few tend not to be noticed until ramifications begin taking Based on the above facts, our second result effect. We will explore those easy to recognize becomes easily recognizable. The number of and those that are more difficult to notice. individuals allowed to interact with the system is often limited due to budget constraints. In www.etapestry.com /1-888-739-3827 II lTapestryco WeavingtheWebof Communicationsfor the Charity World Fund Raising Software Suites Become Total Communication Systems in the Next Century addition, when the costs escalate, other areas of for such large amounts of new code in each the organization are affected since the budget release (which, by the way, exponentially has to be drawn from various sources. One of increases the complexity of testing) stems from the most critical factors to success, training, is the enormous cost to the developer in often reduced or eliminated to save budget distributing each full release. Such updating dollars, processes are further compounded by the myriad of new releases of the operating system(s); the Our third result pertains to maintaining these underlying database such as Sybase, Oracle, large and sophisticated systems. Such systems SQL Server and others; Report Writers; Add-on now require extensive assistance from Modules; related applications and accounting existing corporate Information System (IT) systems. departments. A few select organizations such as National Charities, Hospitals, Educational A few hidden results to explore include Institutions, are fortunate enough to have such implementation services and training. resources. In some cases, the need has spawned Implementation services include system entirely new IT departments and/or IT positions, administration functions and data conversions. Such mammoth systems now require system The larger and more sophisticated the system the administrators, database administrators, LAN or more complex each of them will be. Numerous WAN specialists, operating and workstation industry pundits echo this when referring to specialists, report writing specialists, enterprise-wide system implementations. In communication specialists and in some cases fact, it is not uncommon for the even others, to be added to the payroll, implementation costs to be equal to or greater than the initial software and hardware costs Another immediate result is the costly annual and span more than a year! Testament to this support fee associated with such sophisticated phenomenon is the reality that an entire industry systems. Generally a fixed percentage fee of the of implementation consultants has been created already substantial initial purchase price is and is thriving. extracted annually. This fee for telephone support and software enhancements is ever Tied directly to this implementation present and dollars must be budgeted for it. requirement, but even more ongoing is the need Maintenance costs for the vendor are high due to for effective training. Fund raising systems the complexity of programming the application's have gone from an initial half-day or single user interface in Windows and of supporting day of training to get started to now requiring functionality across various operating one to two weeks of training depending on the systems/hardware platforms, number of modules being implemented. This is an ongoing requirement for each individual Ironically, such fees, though they often provided who is actively interfacing with such thousands if not millions of newly updated (and, sophisticated systems. Staff turnover and the hopefully, well tested) lines of code annually, do use of part-time staff places an even greater not help the charity install and migrate the level of importance on effective, ongoing existing database to the new release. The reason training. This entire scenario must be repeated www.etapestry.com /1-888-739-3827 2I lTapestry o Weavingthe Webof Communicationsfor the CharityWorld Fund Raising Software Suites Become Total Communication Systems in the Next Century with each new module added and/or each new • Special Event Attendees version of the system. • Press • Retired Staff Initial Conclusion • eotential Donors The myriad of results stated above combine to Potential Solutions reduce the overall effectiveness of most fund raising software system implementations. Such factors as cost, training time, system To fully realize the total usage of all the requirements, complexity and lack of wide area information contained in such systems while at connections have limited the broad use of these the same time incorporating existing systems by most charities. Only a select few technologies like the charities web site, a charities are properly equipped, trained and revolutionary change is needed! To date, such networked so as to allow such systems to be attempts at change usually revolve around some utilized by a//employees on a daily basis, form of browser interface being added to the screen look-up portions of legacy fund raising When one discusses daily usage, keep in mind systems. This is a reasonable first step because the large number of key individuals and groups of the universal acceptance of the World Wide who have little or no access to such systems. Web browser interface. This acceptance will Just imagine if everyone involved with the only expand because World Wide Web usage charity in any manner could communicate, learn, grows daily. become more intimately involved, donate more A key to this insight is vividly revealed by the time, raise more funds and became a true part of the charity's immediate family. These actions of the premier provider (if not total individuals and groups include some or all of the monopoly) of computer operating systems, following: Microsoft. In less than six months, the entire Microsoft organization was spun on a dime and reorganized to focus on the lnternet/World Wide • Senior Management Web and, correspondingly, the browser • Middle Management interface. Windows 95, the premier computer • Entry Level Staff desktop operating system, was totally reworked • Field Staff to include the Microsoft internet Explorer • Board Members browser. In fact, the entire user interface is • Committee Chairman migrating to the browser interface from the • Committee Members standard Windows interface. This effect is being seen in virtually all-next generation • Volunteers software applications making the browser • Major Donors interface truly the user interface of the future. • Annual Fund Donors • First-Time Donors No wonder many of the existing fund raising • Affiliated Agencies software providers are adding such Web www.etapestry.com /1-888-739-3827 3INITapestry.com Weavingthe Webof Communicationsfor the CharityWorld Fund Raising Software Suites Become Total Communication Systems in the Next Century enablement. Although it is a step in the right Web-based applications are generally 12 direction, it unfortunately only extends months old or less and have been built from communications to related individuals of the scratch as a new product. charity in an extremely small manner. To achieve the true pinnacle of communications, the Web-enabled suppliers are forced to continually software must be designed from the ground up build, maintain and enhance two separate to allow the extensive flow of information as applications -one for Windows and one for the well as to be interwoven with the charity's web Web. site. To further understand the difference between Source: Aberdeen Group, 1998 Web-based applications and Web-enabled applications, the following chart applies. Total Communications Web-based Systems vs. Web-enabled Potential and partial solutions aside there exists Systems the need and opportunity to boldly revolutionize the fund raising system as it is known today into Web-based applications are completely a total communication system! One which all facets of the charity and its mission, functional with only a web browser running on the client PC. constituents, partners, program recipients and Web-based applications typically using the rest of the world can utilize! ActiveX or Java-based clients deliver levels of responsiveness and interactivity comparable to Such a bold concept and outstanding idea is now traditional, well-designed client-server based possible because of the vast pipeline to all applications, individuals throughout the world via the buernet. Not since the telephone has a single Web-enabled applications are typically client device provided such a simple and cost effective server applications packaged with a limited set mechanism to communicate with everyone. Due of static forms, notJavaor ActiveX components, to the emergence of the World Wide Web (within the Internet), millions upon millions of Web-based solutions are built as highly people are usinga straightforward and consistent granular applets that can be centrally managed user interface daily. In addition, a complete set of commerce rules has evolved. and easily accessed over the lnternet on an as needed basis. Imagine a Web-based fund raising system where Web-enabled solutions are typically a subset of most if not all, of the previously mentioned their client-server brethren and do not negative results are removed or improved encompass all of the client-server functionality, greatly. A system so interwoven with Web technology and usage that anyone with a web browser running on any device (even legacy www.etapestry.com /1-888-739-3827 4I lTapestryGo Weavingthe Webof Communicationsfor the Charity World Fund Raising Software Suites Become Total Communication Systems in the Next Century equipment such as 386, 486, slower Pentiums wide area networks in order to communicate and NCs)can be an interactive partner/user. By within or even use the latest fund raising adding the appropriate password(s) or other systems. Perhaps, more importantly, for the form of authentication, they become a higher 75% to 80% of the charities who have not yet level user with access to even more information, implemented a formal fund raising system; for those still using basic entry level systems; and One cannot emphasize enough the importance of even for those floundering in a costly being able to use legacy equipment. The July, implementation of a new enterprise system, they 1998 issue of The NonProfit Times contains an could implement the next generation in fund article entitled Nonprofits Crawl Along With raising/communication systems without Slow Computers. The article based on the additional IT staffing costs. Charity Technology Survey states "Besides the limited number of computers in use, there is also A properly designed system created so a question of quality. The majority of the synergistically with the World Wide Web could computers are not Pentium systems even allow ownership and usage through Although significantly slower than a Pentium economic lease programs! Extremely qualified system, a 486 system with Windows 95 installed individuals could maintain such a system offwiil allow the user to access the Internet." site. Imagine such mundane yet extremely important functions as back-ups, software Virtually every other industry has proven that upgrades, operating system updates, database people love to interact, find and utilize upgrades, conversions, data enhancements, list information on their own. Companies such as maintenance and all other housekeeping duties Federal Express, Southwest Airlines, Citicorp, performed as part of the lease. Capital Fidelity Investments, and numerous others have investments, staffing and operational budgets taken such Web-based systems and customer could be significantly reduced and applied to the communication to levels of usage even beyond charities true mission t. their own optimistic estimates. The Ultimate Benefit In the book Webonomics by Evan Schwartz, it is eloquently stated as follows: "Self-service is A true web based solution, which is Internet or becoming mandatory in many industries-as Intranet based (housed and maintained consumers demand increase comfort, control, internally), provides the ultimate benefit of total and convenience. Open twenty-four hours per adoption and usage. When woven into the day, seven days per week, the Web is well suited charity's Web presence, a comprehensive to be the point of customer contact...a way to communication system emerges. Everyone reduce costs, increase efficiency and boost from the chief executive to the receptionist, from customer loyalty.., within one, easy to use user the board chairman to the newest volunteer, interface" from the largest major donor to the interested individual contemplating a first gift can truly Imagine no need for entirely new hardware interact with, use and benefit from this total platforms; operating systems; leased lines; or www.etapestry.com /1-888-739-3827 5x/%/v%/I lFapestryGQn Weavingthe Web of Communications for the Charity World Fund Raising Software Suites Become Total Communication Systems in the Next Century system. When combined with appropriate and proven security, the charity's most important asset, information, is fully utilized and protected. More importantly, the charity's mission and message can grow as its revenue is unencumbered by artificial limits of access, ease, cost and lack of knowledge! If you know how to surf the net, you know how to initially use such an innovative fund raising system. For those needing to do more, interactive on-line help, wizards, tutorials and yes even a cyber classroom enlightens them on the spot. All members of the charity's rapidly growing family can help themselves to information. Quickly and easily they can renew an annual gift; sign up for a special event (even get the right size T-shirt or their own special dinner entree); commit to a volunteer activity; find out the details of the next board or committee meeting; ask a staff member in another country a question; vote on a resolution; and/or find out the exact giving for year to date tax deductions just to name a few. Hence, the full implementation of the concept of a total communication system for everyonef e Tapestry.com provides leading edge Internet and lntranet fundraising applications for charities and non-profit organizations of all types and sizes. The highest levels of product innovation, data security, and customer support are hallmarks of e Tapest_. . eTapestry.eom 7901 E. 88th Street Indianapolis, IN 46256 1-888-739-3827 (etap) fax: 317-585-3167 email: info@etapestry.com www.etapestry.com www.etapestry.com /1-888-739-3827 6