Case Study: The Data Strategy That Tripled Donations in 6 Months
Running a nonprofit is already a full-time job, and then some. Meanwhile, donor lists are often scattered across spreadsheets, email threads, and old acknowledgement letters. It’s no wonder, then, that so many small teams feel stuck in survival mode.
Earlier this year, our client Helpings of Hope found themselves struggling with data. They were making good on their mission to provide economic opportunities and food security for Hoosiers. But behind the scenes, they struggled with funding. Donor contacts, donation history, and grant opportunities were all stored in different places, making it nearly impossible to see the big picture or make confident fundraising decisions.
What Nonprofits Gain with SproutTable VIP
Our team at Sprout Fundraising & Consulting got connected with Helpings of Hope to help them organize their data and do more for their mission.
In just one day, we:
✔ Consolidated all donor and fundraising data into one searchable, reliable database
✔ Cleaned and standardized donor records for accuracy
✔ Built custom automations to streamline stewardship and outreach
✔ Connected SproutTable to their email system so new contacts flowed seamlessly into ongoing communications
Helpings of Hope could finally access their data in one place. This gave them clarity on how to use it as a strategic tool.
How SproutTable Gets Fundraising Results
By mid-2025, Helpings of Hope had already surpassed its 2024 donation revenue by threefold. With a stronger foundation, they can now target their most likely donors, steward relationships consistently, and build on that growth heading into 2026.
One of the biggest wins? Automations. A hot topic in our Spreadsheet Chaos to Fundraising Clarity masterclass, automations help donors feel valued. This empowers you to retain and grow relationships over the long term, fundraising more as a result.
For Helpings of Hope, automations look like:
Every new donor or volunteer entered into SproutTable is automatically tagged and added to their email system
A welcome series now goes out to new subscribers, which helped grow their email list from 70 to 180 subscribers in just 6 months
Donor stewardship is consistent, personalized, and timely, without adding extra admin hours
Small shifts like this compound into more revenue.
Get Similar Results for Your Nonprofit
If you’re still relying on scattered spreadsheets, you’re likely losing donors and leaving dollars on the table.
Here are 3 simple actions you can take that will impact your bottom line:
Audit Your Data: Identify where your donor information lives. List every spreadsheet, document, and platform that holds donor data.
Centralize It: Move this data into one system that’s searchable and reliable.
Automate Stewardship: Begin with simple automations, like triggering a thank-you email when a gift comes in. Or, set reminders to follow up with lapsed donors. To learn more about how to do this, watch our masterclass.
The difference between feeling overwhelmed and feeling empowered is having a system you can trust.
Get SproutTable VIP for Customized Support
Helpings of Hope shows that with the right system, small nonprofits can do big things.
SproutTable VIP is a done-for-you solution that cleans your data, sets up custom automations, and gives you a clear path forward in just one day. If you’re tired of spinning your wheels with spreadsheets, our team will get you set up for growth.
And if you’re not quite ready for VIP but want to take the first step, download our free Data Cleanup Checklist. This resource has the same framework we used with Helpings of Hope to organize their information and unlock growth.
