Ashley Sweeney's 'Confessions of a Nonprofit Database Administrator'

Both of these articles were very comforting and encouraging.


Data management and analysis as an industry is so hot right now (couldn't find a good Mugatu gif :-/), it's easy to get frustrated with this dynamic towards data professionals persisting in the nonprofit sector.


Hard agree with confession # 3 from the part II article (https://npengage.com/nonprofit-management/healthcare-nonprofit-database-administrator-confessions-part-2/) - if you don't believe in the mission of your org and how your work serves that purpose, staying and doing the best you can can be a real challenge.


Though # 3's probably my favorite, all these observations are so true.


Spot on Ashley Sweeney‍ ?!

Thanks Karintha! I cant tell you how much I appreciate all the awesome feedback!

Awesome blog! So many pieces just ring true, and it's nice to be in the good company of others who share your pain, lol. ?


My one reaction to #2 was mixed, though. I mean, I agree that 99.9% of the time any errors in numbers stem from lack of communication on what numbers are needed. BUT. I recall vividly my first job assuming a database admin role at a nonprofit. Previously, all financial reports and donor lists had been managed by the Associate Development Director, who then retired. Of course, she had not had any formal database training from Blackbaud, and database management was not her formal role. But when I came on, I -- and the new Development Director - had the unpleasant task of informing the board that the past several years of income reports they were used to seeing were incorrect. Pledges and pledge payments had both been being counted on report totals. Our actual fundraising revenue was only half as much. Oh yay, what a fun job.


I remember growing up, my family would always go shopping together. Every single time, my dad would ask my mom, "Do you have the keys?" before she locked the car doors. One day, she got sick of him asking. Of course I have the keys. You don't have to ask every time! Well, that was the day she accidentally locked us out. Sometimes a boss or coworker has to ask, especially if you're new, especially if the numbers look different than they thought, even though they know you're right 99.9% of the time.