Virtual Database Administrator (vDBA)
Struggle no more to find the expertise needed to manage your data
Many nonprofits need help with managing the daily data outflow. But most simply cannot afford to hire a full-time expert with the level of experience needed to blend business leadership with database engineering acumen.
The main difference between a vDBA and a DBA is the accessibility of outsourcing these services to organizations with smaller budgets. Your organization can receive many of the same benefits of a DBA at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time DBA, with all of the associated overhead expenses, along with the cost of a support team to implement their vision.
F8 takes a team approach to the vDBA plan. Clients don't just acquire a digital brain. They also get the arms and legs needed to refine data to make greater business insights and meet the donor outreach demands of the modern digital world.
We work with the leadership of our client organizations to figure out how we can use their data to better achieve the goals and key performance indicators that they focus on. Some clients will outsource the entire data management department to F8 Consulting. Others clients have in-house staff that work on day-to-day data entry projects, and we integrate with their efforts, providing high-level strategic advice and direction. We all know a Database Administrator only achieves maximum success when surrounded by a talented support team to enter data, conduct outreach, manage projects and more.
F8 Consulting works with you to create a custom vDBA plan based on your needs. Components of the vDBA package can include:
Maintenance
Data quality has a direct impact on your ability to connect with your constituencies. Healthy data is true, complete, and up-to-date. Regular maintenance and monitoring of data can clean, append, and update critical data elements to help your organization build and maintain better relationships with its donors and operate more efficiently, ultimately saving time and money.
F8 Consulting uses a combination of on-site and off-site support to support and access tools and frameworks.
Data Manager
Mission-driven organizations must have all its teams on the same page to to do their best work. However, at many nonprofits departments work independently. This can hinder the success of your organization. The vDBA examines business processes and works to teach other departments, such as the Development team, Finance team, Communications Team and head of IT, to function better and smarter when sharing and handling data.
Why is cross-department collaboration so important?
- Eliminates duplication of efforts from department to department
- Simplifies work tasks using templates that can easily be customized
- Teaches your internal teams to use the communication functionality of your fundraising software more effectively
- Avoids inundating donors with multiple mailings due to duplicate efforts
Advisor
Our vDBA can be more than a single point of contact for major database issues and questions and planning. We also evaluate organizational needs, recommend appropriate procedures and solutions and craft an innovative plan for the future that matches tactics to your fundraising goals.
On-Site Staffing
Your plan can include having an experienced database development associate join your team on part-time basis to work on day-to-day tasks from clean up and database maintenance to producing reports and queries at your convenience.