Understanding Match Accuracy

Each data point, and the overall Gift Capacity Rating for each prospect is controlled by DonorScape’s Match Accuracy filter which represents the match quality of the underlying asset data.

When conducting searches in DonorScape, you can manually select a Match Accuracy level. Depending on the level you select, you will retrieve either 1) a larger number of prospects who are associated with a wide range of data points that may or may not match your search criteria, or 2) a smaller number of prospects whose associated data points most closely match your search criteria.

Match Accuracy is based on a point system that coincides with the amount of information available for a given individual. There are four Match Accuracy levels, indicating GG+A’s level of confidence that a specific data element belongs to the prospect that you are tracking in your database:

  • Exact (use the data immediately with confidence)
  • Near (may include information about a spouse)
  • Possible (likely, but may require additional verification)
  • Simple (matches only the first/last name and state—additional verification needed)

 

If you select Exact, which returns the most accurate data, you may miss some data points or exclude some prospects from your pool of likely donors, but you will be able to act quickly and with confidence on the results. By contrast, selecting Possible returns less accurate data (all Exact, Near, and Possible matches), but you can potentially gather more comprehensive information and identify additional prospects. However, it will take more time to verify these results and may require external research.

The recommended starting point is a Match Accuracy setting of Near, which returns all Exact and Near matches. While this setting will retrieve household matches (e.g., information about a spouse), it requires minimal follow-up verification or research.