“You’d be crazy not to!”
That was our answer. The question: “Would we be crazy for undertaking a CRM conversion while planning the most ambitious campaign in our history?”
It’s a fair concern. Campaigns require momentum, confidence, and consistency. Conversions introduce change, learning curves, and risk. On paper, they don’t belong together.
But in practice, the greater risk is often the status quo.
Outdated Systems Undermine Campaign Confidence and Limit Growth
Campaigns have a way of exposing everything. Data definitions that were “good enough” suddenly aren’t. Reports that used to take hours, even overnight, can’t keep pace with leadership demands. Gift officers start managing their own pipelines outside the system because they don’t trust what’s in it. What’s supposed to be your source of truth becomes a workaround.
We’ve seen organizations try to run campaigns on that foundation. It doesn’t scale.
Real-Time Data and Trusted Reporting Transform Strategic Decision-Making
At South Dakota State University Foundation, the shift to a modern CRM and BI environment wasn’t just about new technology, it was about visibility. Reports that once took far too long to generate now run in minutes. Leaders can see pipeline movement in near real time and adjust strategy accordingly. That kind of responsiveness fundamentally changes how a campaign operates.
From a leadership perspective, the stakes are straightforward. Campaign decisions depend on pipeline quality, forecast confidence, and the ability to segment and act deliberately. When leaders don’t trust the numbers, strategy gets conservative—suppressing momentum and leaving philanthropic potential untapped.
But the opposite risk is just as real. When data is incomplete or poorly understood, leaders can overestimate what the pipeline will actually produce. We’ve seen this firsthand: projections of $120 million that ultimately yielded closer to $70 million when major gifts didn’t close as expected. Without reliable data—and without the ability to pressure-test assumptions—ambition can drift into wishful thinking. That disconnect is demoralizing for staff and erodes confidence with boards and stakeholders.
Strong data doesn’t just inform strategy; it grounds it in reality.
Successful CRM Conversions Require Governance, Clarity, and Organizational Alignment
From a technical and advancement services perspective, the lesson is clear: conversion during a campaign is entirely doable, but only with discipline. This isn’t about flipping a switch. It requires governance, sequencing, and clarity; defining campaign counting rules early, stabilizing core reports first; and ensuring frontline fundraisers are supported through the transition.
The organizations that do this well don’t just implement a new system, they rethink how they work. They move away from Excel-dependent reporting toward real-time dashboards. They align teams around shared definitions. They create infrastructure that supports accountability and boldness, not workarounds.
And that alignment shows up in results. When historical performance data is trusted, leaders can set more realistic goals, predict outcomes at the gift officer level, and deploy resources more effectively. One team’s pipeline may convert at 80%, another at 40%, but knowing that changes how you plan, not just how you report.
So no, converting during a campaign isn’t reckless. Unmanaged change is reckless. But managed well, a conversion can be a strategic accelerator.
If your campaign is the most ambitious initiative in your institution’s history, it’s worth asking: Does your infrastructure match that ambition?
Because the real question isn’t whether to change. It’s whether you can afford not to.
At BWF, we stand ready to assist you with all your CRM and campaign needs. Please reach out to Jeff Hilperts, senior vice president, or Lori Stirling, senior managing vice president. It’s a privilege to help.
