Convio, a popular online advocacy toolset used by many nonprofit advocacy groups, recently announced that they will be releasing a donor database code-named Akido, on the SalesForce.com platform. This will be a separate product from their online Constituent Relationship Management suite — you don't have to be a Convio CRM client to use the database. They also say it's not simply a new template for SalesForce, but a product built from the ground up.

Do you need help managing donors? Network for Good is supporting a series of call-in seminars on donor databases through its Nonprofit 911 free training series.

The first seminar already took place, but three remain. All seminars are from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EDT:

Telosa is hosting a free Webinar for nonprofits and public libraries in the U.S. and Canada who want to learn more about its Exceed! Basic donor management software.

If your organization has outgrown its homegrown system to keep track of donors and gifts, the Webinar is a great first step to learning how to be more productive in your fundraising. Then, come back to TechSoup Stock next Wednesday, March 26, to save 70 percent when you request Exceed! Basic software.

Sign up for a free webinar at Telosa, offered on several dates throughout March.

The Webinar will show how Exceed! Basic can help your organization:

How well are you using your database for fundraising? An excellent short article is available online in the most recent issue of Grassroots Fundraising Journal.

The article starts by comparing unorganized data to a disorganized clothes closet ... but don't let the 'down-homey' opening fool you. I thought this article did an amazing job of providing a roadmap for good database use. Use it to get started or to check how well you are doing. It covers the reports you most need to use, and other important tasks for database software.

CompassPoint's Silicon Valley office is offering a workshop on selecting and implementing database software on December 14 from 9:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Milpitas, California.

Maintaining data integrity requires constant vigilance. My personal Fourth Law of Thermodynamics says that databases are subject to entropy and will turn to piles of mush if not acted upon by an outside agent. This outside agent is the Data Manager, who provides quality control.

NTEN has launched a new series of Vendor Satisfaction Surveys to find out what you think about the tools and services you're using or considering.