The University of Dundee’s fundraising efforts are centered around three key areas: enhancing the student experience, supporting biomedical research, and promoting sustainability. These themes reflect the university’s commitment to research excellence, widening access and community engagement. To more effectively support these initiatives, fundraising leadership recognised the need to transform its data management and fundraising approach and use the advanced capabilities in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT.

“We chose Raiser’s Edge NXT because it provided the comprehensive support and functionality we needed to transform our data management and fundraising strategies,” said Sheryl Morris, data and strategic insights manager. “The moment we saw what Blackbaud could offer, it was like a penny dropped—we knew this was exactly what we needed to move forward.”

Previously, the CRM system was mainly used as a record-keeping tool, which made it difficult to utilise and leverage data effectively and often left the advancement team stuck in a reactive mode. By partnering with Blackbaud’s customer success team, they restructured their data framework, simplified reporting processes, and optimised their use of Raiser’s Edge NXT’s capabilities. Central to the restructuring was classifying alumni and donors into major giving, regular giving, and other actionable segments. This helped fundraisers easily target individuals based on engagement and giving potential, reducing overlap and duplication.

“The transition to Raiser’s Edge NXT has completely changed how we work with data. It’s empowering to know the tools we have can directly support our strategy and outcomes,” added Morris.

Achieving Record Highs

The utilisation of Raiser’s Edge NXT’s reporting capabilities, as well as integrated automation and visualisation tools, provides expanding access to sophisticated performance data and fundraising forecasts. Morris noted that her team created customised dashboards with real-time updates, facilitating faster, more empowered decision-making across departments. “The integration with tools like Power BI and the automation capabilities have opened up possibilities we never thought were possible before. It’s been a game-changer for our team,” she said.

Team collaboration has also greatly improved. Everyone—from fundraisers to leadership—can confidently engage with data and use it to inform their work. “The simplified structure also allowed us to introduce new processes for managing prospect portfolios, ensuring fundraisers were focusing on fewer, higher-potential relationships while maintaining clarity across the pipeline,” said Thomas Kinney-Nicol, senior prospect management officer. “This shared understanding has created a more cohesive approach to fundraising, ensuring that everyone is aligned toward common goals.”

The results of these changes have been significant. Last year, the university increased its funding by 119% which was attributed to Raiser’s Edge NXT and enhanced digitally inclusive fundraising strategies. The team used the software’s opportunities feature to track potential asks and their likelihood of success, allowing them to predict income with greater accuracy.

“Last year, we achieved our highest amount of income ever, and this year, thanks to our improved data management and predictive capabilities with Raiser’s Edge NXT, we are confident that we will surpass that record,” said Morris. “This newfound ability to forecast our income accurately is something we haven’t been able to do before, and it marks a significant milestone in our fundraising efforts.”

Creating Long-term Success

Blackbaud’s involvement extended beyond technology. Its customer success team provided strategic alignment exercises that helped the university refine their workflows and adopt best practices, creating a foundation of high-quality data for long-term success. “This process has been about more than just technology; it’s helped us foster a culture where data is increasingly at the heart of our decisions,” said Kinney-Nicol. “Seeing how it’s brought our team together and created opportunities for collaboration has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.”

As Dundee looks to the future, Morris and Kinney-Nicol are committed to building on their progress and are better equipped to approach fundraising with a long-term perspective. They aim to expand their use of automation and explore mid-level giving strategies, leveraging insights from regular alumni engagement to create sustained growth. The ongoing collaboration with Blackbaud ensures that the university remains agile and forward-thinking, poised to achieve lasting impact through innovation and strategic planning.