Introduction
For nonprofit organizations, managing donor data is crucial for fundraising success. Keeping track of donor information, donation history, and communication can be a daunting task without the proper tools.
That’s where donor management software comes in. What Salesforce is to for-profit businesses, your donor management software is to your nonprofit—a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss how investing in a high-quality CRM system can help nonprofits manage donor data better. We’ll also compare and contrast seven donor management software options.
Benefits of a High-Quality CRM System for Nonprofits
A high-quality CRM system can provide a variety of benefits for nonprofit organizations, including:
- Centralized Donor Data: A CRM system provides a central location to store all donor information, including contact details, donation history, and communication history. This makes it easy to access and update info, as well as track donor interactions and correspondence.
- Customizable Reports: Create custom reports to analyze donor data, such as donation amounts, frequency, and demographics. These reports can provide insights into donor behavior and help organizations tailor their fundraising efforts.
- Automated Workflows: Automate repetitive tasks, such as sending thank you emails after donations or tracking donation pledges. This saves time and ensures that donors receive timely and personalized communication.
- Increased Donor Engagement: A CRM system also provides tools for targeted communication, such as email marketing and personalized campaigns. This can increase donor engagement and ultimately lead to more individual and recurring donations, plus stickier relationships with donors.
7 Top Donor Management Software Platforms
Now let’s take a look at 7 top donor management software platforms that could boost your nonprofit’s fundraising success:
DonorPerfect tracks donors, donations, prospects, volunteers, and memberships. It’s a cloud-based platform, so you can access it anywhere, even from your mobile device. DonorPerfect offers five different pricing packages, starting at $99–$799 per month for 1,000–25,000 donor records. Additional monthly fees apply for access to more fundraising features and third-party integrations.
Bloomerang is a donor management software that consistently rates high among nonprofits and fundraising professionals for online fundraising campaigns. It champions the ease of their user interface and a seamless donor experience that’s head and shoulders above older, clunkier donor management systems. Pricing starts at $79/month for organizations raising less than $250K per year, with no existing contact list. Every pricing plan includes unlimited users, full functionality, free email and chat support. You’ll also get free access to Bloomerang Academy training classes.
Givebutter is a fundraising platform that offers tools for online donations, ticketing, and peer-to-peer fundraising. It’s fast becoming the go-to platform for nonprofit fundraising because of it’s low- or no-cost options. Pricing is based on platform fees. If tips are turned off, fees are 1% for a Donation Form, 3% for a Fundraising Page, and 5% for an Event or Auction. The platform is free if tips are turned on, with the majority of donors opting to cover the 2.9% + 30¢ platform fee themselves.
Donorbox is a fundraising platform that offers tools for online donations, recurring donations, and crowdfunding. Its peer-to-peer fundraising feature is simple to use, packed with storytelling potential, and maximizes your campaign efforts with great add-ons. Donorbox provides customizable reports, automated workflows, and integrations with other software tools. Pricing starts at $0 per month with a 1.75% platform fee on donation forms, hosted pages, and peer-to-peer organizational campaigns. Fees are 2.95% on events, memberships, and peer-to-peer supporter campaigns.
Network for Good helps small nonprofits cultivate donor relationships and advance their missions with smart fundraising software, personal coaching, and online resources. NFG pioneered the online fundraising space. Through their all-in-one platform, you can organize and manage donor data, build donor relationships, collect donations, host events, and track fundraising performance. Pricing starts at $100/month, but visit their website for a custom quote to meet your needs.
Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT is a cloud-based, comprehensive fundraising and donor management software for larger nonprofit organizations. It offers tools for fundraising, donor management, and marketing automation, as well as advanced analytics and reporting. Pricing is based on a custom quote, but starts at $4,000 per year for 1,000 records.
Classy is a certified B Corp and giving platform that enables nonprofits to connect supporters with the causes they care about. The idea for the company was inspired after co-founder Scot Chisholm and his friends helped raise funds for the American Cancer Society in San Diego.
Classy primarily focuses on two initiatives – firstly, to help non-profits improve their rates of converting more visitors to donors, and secondly, to retain more donors. It offers tools for online donations, peer-to-peer fundraising, and event fundraising, with 1% of their revenue donated to the nonprofit sector. As an independent subsidiary of GoFundMe, they’ve collectively raised over $20 billion for social good. Pricing starts at $299/month plus a 4% platform transaction fee.
Conclusion
Investing in a high-quality CRM system can provide a variety of benefits for non-profit organizations, including centralized donor data, customizable reports, cloud-based access, and a user-friendly way to communicate with and build relationships with donors.
What platform is right for you? Pick a donor management software that’s right for your organization, tailored to your team and needs, that will help you reach your fundraising goals.
