Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network (LASSN) supports refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants at risk of harm or exploitation in Leeds. The charity provides essential services including accommodation, English language tutoring at home; and matches refugees with volunteers to help them access support and opportunities in Leeds.
Problem
LASSN wanted our help to understand its donor giving patterns and improve its fundraising efforts. The charity needed an analysis of donation patterns over the past 4–5 years, examining key metrics such as historical donation amounts, frequency and recency of giving.
The goal was to create an automated Excel data dashboard, easy to use by LASSN staff that summarised key findings and insights, including segmentations of donor and giving types.
Solution
We matched LASSN with skilled data analyst and volunteer Seva Smirnov, through our Data First Aid service. Working closely with the charity, Seva designed an interactive template for donations data analytics. The final steps involved updating the dashboard with fresh datasets and ensuring the team had the skills and knowledge to confidently refresh the dashboard with new data.
Benefits
LASSN now have an automated Excel & Power BI dashboard that summarises key findings and insights from its donation data. Thanks to the new dashboard, the charity better understands donor giving patterns which in turn improves its fundraising efforts and its mission.
Andrew Crossley, LASSN: “We got access to a highly skilled individual who was able to understand what we needed, make sense of the raw data and provide relevant analysis. Seva was very responsive, genuinely interested in our work, and willing to adapt to our timeframes.”
Seva Smirnov, PBE volunteer analyst, “LASSN (Leeds Asylum Seekers’ Support Network) is one of the few charities offering vital support to one of the most vulnerable groups in our society – asylum seekers and refugees. Collaborating with them was far more than just a project – it was a reflection of values that deeply resonate with my own. It was both an honour and a genuine pleasure to work alongside such a thoughtful and intelligent team – one that embraces data-driven approaches to fundraising and demonstrates a clear understanding of data principles. Huge thanks to Andrew, Barnaby, and Jon for their incredible support throughout the project.”