Your live profiles questions, answered

Donor data is constantly changing—yet many nonprofits still rely on static, outdated information to drive their fundraising strategies. Over the next six months alone, a number of dramatic changes are expected to occur, which will in turn affect donor databases: 

📌 20M job changes, including 1M CEO transitions
📌 14M address changes
📌 648K phone numbers updated
📌 13% of email lists decaying
📌 25M new donation records becoming available

Without real-time updates, nonprofits risk missed opportunities, inefficient outreach, and poorly timed gift asks. Traditional donor screening is a valuable tool for segmentation, but it provides only a snapshot in time. Once that data becomes outdated, fundraisers are left in the dark.

That’s where iwave’s live profiles come in.

Live profiles provide real-time donor data updates, ensuring that you always have the most accurate and actionable insights at your fingertips. Instead of manually updating records or relying solely on periodic screenings, live profiles continuously monitor and refresh donor information, notifying you when key changes occur.

During our recent webinar, Your Secret Weapon for Success in 2025: Introducing Live Profiles, we received many thoughtful questions about how this feature works. While we couldn’t get to every question live, we’ve compiled the most frequently asked ones below to help you make the most of live profiles.

Let’s dive in!

Functionality

Q: How should I decide which constituents to activate live profiles for?

A: Start by screening your donors and prospects to get their ratings, then segment them based on engagement strategy. Your live profile count should align with the number of donors you actively manage, considering factors like time, staffing, and resources.

A good approach is to include your active donors plus a percentage of potential donors who could become active if their giving behavior changed. For example, if you have low-affinity, high-capacity donors, enabling a live profile can help you track whether they make a gift in your cause area—giving you a timely opportunity to engage.

Q: Do individual donor updates count toward my live profile limit?

A: No, individual updates do not count against your live profile limit. Each iwave account has a designated number of live profiles they can activate based on their subscription level, but once a profile is activated, you receive unlimited notifications and updates whenever new donor data is detected.

Q: Can live profiles be set up to send email notifications when a new record is found, rather than only showing alerts within iwave?

A: Yes, users can enable profile notifications to receive an email whenever meaningful donor data updates are detected, ensuring they stay informed in real time.

Q: How is the accuracy of the data?

A: The accuracy follows the same criteria as the underlying iwave matching logic. Donations are the trickiest when the name is common, and users can configure the Confidence of Match to adjust results. For more details on iwave data, visit this page.

Q: Do live profiles track changes in stock ownership for publicly traded securities?

A: Yes, live profiles provide automatic updates when new stock transaction records are detected, helping you monitor an individual’s or institution’s stock holdings and transaction history to assess giving potential. This data is sourced from original forms filed with international securities commissions, including all U.S. insider activity (SEC filings), Canadian insider filings (SEDI), and international insider filings.

Q: How frequently are live profiles updated, and how will I be notified of donor data changes?

A: Live profiles are updated continuously as new donor data becomes available. When a change is detected in a donor profile, you will receive a notification within iwave, and if email notifications are enabled, you’ll also receive an alert directly in your inbox.

Q: Can a single live profile monitor multiple names, such as spouses or a family foundation?

A: Foundation profiles do not have the live profile feature just yet, but two names can be included (and iwave infers them).

Q: Are live profiles available for both individuals and corporations?

A: Currently, live profiles are only available for individuals.

Q: Do live profiles include updates from news alerts and obituaries?

A: Currently, live profiles do not update with news alerts or obituary data.

Q: How does iwave track donor-advised fund (DAF) giving, and can it identify individual donors contributing to a DAF?

A: iwave can track donations made from a DAF to a cause if they are listed as a donation, providing insight into which DAFs are supporting specific organizations. However, we do not have visibility into the individuals contributing to a DAF, as that information is not publicly disclosed.

Availability & Coverage

Q: Are live profiles available for users in both Canada and the U.S., or just the U.S.?

A: Live profiles are available to all iwave users, regardless of country. 

Q: Are there any limitations in live profiles when tracking data for Canadian constituents?

A: Yes, live profiles may have more limited real-time updates for Canadian constituents due to the availability of donor data in Canada. Certain data sources that provide updates in the U.S. may have less coverage or be unavailable for Canadian donors. 

Integration & CRM Updates

Q: Will live profiles be integrated with other Kindsight products?

A: Yes, we’re currently working on integrating live profiles with other Kindsight solutions. Stay tuned for exciting updates early this year. 

Billing & Pricing

Q: What is the cost of live profiles?

A: Every iwave subscription level includes a designated amount of live profiles at no additional cost. If you need more, additional live profiles can be purchased. For specific pricing details, please reach out to your iwave representative.

Q: What happens to my available live profiles when I deactivate a profile?

A: When you deactivate a live profile, that profile is removed from your active count, freeing up a slot so you can activate a new profile. 

Other Questions

Q: How do I find out who is my CSM (Customer Success Manager)?

A: If you’re unsure, email support@kindsight.io, and we will connect you with your Customer Success Manager.

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Still have questions?

If you didn’t see your question answered here, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out to your iwave representative or Customer Success Manager, and we’ll be happy to help.

💡 Want to see live profiles in action? Schedule a demo today to explore how it can help your organization stay ahead with real-time donor insights!

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Sebastian Belu

Sebastian is Senior Product Marketing Manager at Kindsight. He is committed to understanding the needs of the nonprofit sector and sharing technological insights with the market.