Nonprofit Donor Database Hygiene and Data Quality Audit
Poor data quality wastes direct mail budgets, damages donor relationships, and undermines fundraising analytics. This quarterly database hygiene audit ensures donor records are accurate, complete, and communications-ready.
- Industry: Nonprofit
- Frequency: Quarterly
- Estimated Time: 3-4 hours
- Role: Development Director / Database Administrator
- Total Items: 26
Duplicate Record Management
Identify and resolve duplicate records.
- Duplicate constituent search run this quarter?
- Confirmed duplicate records merged with gift history preserved?
- Household records properly linked for joint communications?
- Organization records properly distinguished from individual records?
Address Updates
Process address changes and updates.
- NCOA (National Change of Address) processing completed this quarter?
- Returned mail from last mailing processed and addresses updated or flagged?
- Email hard bounces addressed and email addresses corrected or removed?
- Major constituent moves verified before updating to ensure correct person?
Deceased and Lapsed Donor Cleanup
Process deceased and lapsed donor records.
- Deceased constituents identified and flagged in database?
- Process to identify deceased constituents from obituary or staff knowledge in place?
- Deceased major donors flagged for estate giving follow-up?
- Donors at risk of lapsing (no gift in 18+ months) identified for reactivation?
- Inactive records reviewed to determine if archive or deletion appropriate?
Communication Preferences
Verify communication preferences are honored.
- Email unsubscribe requests processed within 10 business days per CAN-SPAM?
- Do-not-mail requests flagged and removed from mailing lists?
- Do-not-call requests honored and DNC registry compliance maintained?
- Donor preferred contact method recorded and respected?
Gift Record Accuracy
Verify gift records are accurate.
- Donor gift records reconciled to finance department records quarterly?
- Soft credits for corporate matching gifts and donor advised fund grants correctly attributed?
- Pledge records current with payments applied?
- Memorial and tribute gift attributions recorded?
Data Security and Privacy
Verify data security practices.
- Database access controlled with role-based permissions?
- Former staff database access revoked promptly upon departure?
- Credit card data not stored in donor database per PCI DSS standards?
- Database backup current and tested?
- Donor privacy policy current and compliant with applicable laws?
Related Nonprofit Checklists
- Nonprofit Major Donor Stewardship Program Audit
- Nonprofit Pledge Tracking and Fulfillment Management
- Nonprofit Annual Fund Performance Analysis
- Nonprofit Major Gift Cultivation and Solicitation Strategy
- Nonprofit Office Safety and Facilities Inspection
- Nonprofit Equipment Maintenance and Inventory Management
- Nonprofit Facility Lease Compliance and Space Management
- Food Bank Donation Intake and Inspection Checklist
Related Donor Relations Checklists
- Nonprofit Major Donor Stewardship Program Audit - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Pledge Tracking and Fulfillment Management - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Annual Fund Performance Analysis - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Major Gift Cultivation and Solicitation Strategy - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Donor Acknowledgment and Gift Substantiation Audit - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Gift Acceptance Policy and Unusual Gift Review - FREE Download
Why Use This Nonprofit Donor Database Hygiene and Data Quality Audit?
This nonprofit donor database hygiene and data quality audit helps nonprofit teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for development director / database administrator professionals, this checklist covers 26 critical inspection points across 6 sections. Recommended frequency: quarterly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Nonprofit Donor Database Hygiene and Data Quality Audit cover?
This checklist covers 26 inspection items across 6 sections: Duplicate Record Management, Address Updates, Deceased and Lapsed Donor Cleanup, Communication Preferences, Gift Record Accuracy, Data Security and Privacy. It is designed for nonprofit operations and compliance.
How often should this checklist be completed?
This checklist should be completed quarterly. Each completion takes approximately 3-4 hours.
Who should use this Nonprofit Donor Database Hygiene and Data Quality Audit?
This checklist is designed for Development Director / Database Administrator professionals in the nonprofit industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.
Can I download this checklist as a PDF?
Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.