Is my Donor Data Secure?
In 2020, most of us are comfortable with living in the cloud. The pandemic has expedited the need to be digital, and for the most part, we’ve collectively adapted. We buy products online, order groceries through apps, and make donations to our favorite charities. We readily share our information, including banking and credit card details, without batting an eyelash.
Donor relationships are also largely nurtured in the cloud these days, through events, communications and for data management. These relationships are the lifeblood of a nonprofit and contingent on loyalty and trust with a code of conduct which includes trust that the donation will be used as the nonprofit has said it would be and most importantly that your donor information will be secure. Transgressions on either point can put your donor relationships at risk.
When you think of the time and effort that go into building your donor base - the countless interactions, communications, and personal visits, moving your constituents from one-time acquaintances to being immersed in your organization... this is a process that can take a very long time. The data captured through each step of the donor lifecycle is invaluable. This is why having a technology provider that has a strong understanding of all facets of SAAS technology, and how it works with Non-Profit organizations as it pertains to data security, is so important to maintaining these relationships.
This is why the recent data breach for a software provider serving nonprofit organizations rocked so many news cycles over the last few months. The scale of donor impact is unquantifiable and has left many organizations scrambling to repair their trusted relationships and looking for an alternative CRM provider. Ultimately this served as a reminder to nonprofits that when working with a SAAS provider, do your diligence to partner with a company with the expertise and security infrastructure to enable your peace of mind.
As one of the original SAAS CRM companies, Salesforce.com had to demonstrate its #1 value of trust, supporting 150,000 plus clients in the cloud as a founding principle. To that end, Salesforce invests 100’s of millions of dollars in research and development initiatives annually to ensure the security and transparency in their services. The Salesforce Trust site allows for real-time access for any individual to understand any security or performance impacts to their specific instance.
Salesforce also provides the necessary measures for security and privacy to ensure that client data is protected with all potential preventative measures required. Furthermore, Salesforce has an “UpGuard Security Rating” of 808/950 as of November 2020, revealing good security practices at all levels from, website, email and network security.
Data security, isn’t just a catch-phrase. It is reliant on people, processes, and systems to be all aligned in ensuring that valuable and sensitive data is protected. As a Salesforce Implementation Partner, Belmar Consulting has had the privilege of working on a multitude of projects within the Public Sector and Nonprofit realm which gives our team the unique perspective and experience regarding data governance, data encryption, risk assessments and all things security related.
This past year has been an incredibly difficult landscape for nonprofits, and the reliance on tapping your regular donors to give just a little bit more has continually grown. With all that has happened in 2020, the last thing that you want to share with your constituents, is that their personal information has been compromised. Relationships are built on trust. Period. Trust in your CRM, and faith in your provider that it will keep your valuable donor data safe, is not a question that should need to be asked - it’s non-negotiable.
