Use the "What If..." tool in the Scorecard to model how changes to key fundraising metrics affect your program's long-term outlook. Adjust values for acquisition, retention, and other categories to compare scenarios before committing to a strategy.
Prerequisites
- Your organization's data is connected to Avid.
- You have access to the Scorecard.
Understand the Scorecard projections
Before you model scenarios, review the two projections the Scorecard provides:
- Current Fiscal Year Projection – Forecasts revenue, donor count, and average revenue per donor for this year based on real-time data.
- Three-Year Projection – Forecasts where your organization will be in three years based on current trends.
These projections set the baseline for your "What If..." scenarios.
Model a scenario with the "What If..." tool
- Click Scorecard in the left-hand navigation menu.
- Review your current projections and category scores.
- Click the "What If..." tool.
- Adjust one or more metric sliders (for example, reduce the acquisition decline from 29% to 10%).
- Review the updated three-year projection. The tool recalculates revenue, donor count, and average revenue per donor in real time.
- Adjust additional metrics to refine your scenario (for example, improve retention by a few percentage points alongside acquisition).
- Compare the updated projection against your original baseline.
Result: The tool displays an updated three-year forecast that reflects your adjusted metrics. Use these projections to evaluate the long-term revenue impact of each scenario.
Example scenarios
| Scenario | What to adjust | Expected outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Slow donor loss | Reduce acquisition decline from 29% to 10% | Stabilized donor count and slowed revenue loss. |
| Combined improvement | Improve both acquisition and retention by a few points | Projected three-year revenue gain instead of loss. |
| Budget cut impact | Reduce acquisition investment by 20% | Visible decline in long-term donor count and revenue. |
Tips
- Start with one metric at a time to isolate its impact.
- Compare multiple scenarios to find the most cost-effective strategy.
- Focus on small, realistic improvements. Even modest gains in retention compound over three years.