Running a nonprofit can present a number of challenges, but in today’s world, every aspect can be streamlined with technology. From fundraising to administration, there are several programs, apps, and websites that offer or dedicate their services to helping nonprofits. But with so many programs available, it can be difficult to know which are worth investing the time, energy, and occasionally money into. For any nonprofit looking to streamline its operations, these are 10 programs to make your nonprofit more effective.

NeonCRM: Cloud-Based Data Management

One of the many needs for a nonprofit is data storage and management. From donors, staff, volunteers, payroll, and more, there is a multitude of data that needs to be stored and organized efficiently for a nonprofit to continue to be successful. NeonCRM is a solution for that and made specifically for nonprofits; the program is a cloud-based data management system that makes centralizing, storing, organizing, and using data easier. In doing so, NeonCRM can help a nonprofit and their fundraising team automate emails to specific donors or all donors, create and manage donor profiles, and create comprehensive reports to analyze fundraising.  However, NeonCRM does come at a cost; they offer multiple plans at different price points, starting at $50 a month. Their pricing and plans can be viewed here.

DonorPerfect: Fundraising Growth

Like NeonCRM, DonorPerfect is a data management system; however, it is a data management system tailored specifically to fundraising. The program offers a number of useful tools to encourage a growing community of donors and to build a nonprofit’s fundraising capabilities.  Best of all, DonorPerfect is fully customizable, so it can fit the needs of nearly any nonprofit that uses it. Some other, key features of DonorPerfect include gift processing, reporting, training, support, payment services, and branded online forms. Yet, options and features such as these are never free; DonorPerfect’s services range in price from $99 a month to $799 a month, depending on the features and customization. More information on DonorPerfect and its plans can be found here.

Workday’s Adaptive Planning: Financial Planning

Some programs are so effective that even the biggest and best organizations, businesses, and nonprofits use them. Workday’s Adaptive Planning software can be found all over – from the University of Arizona to Legendary Studios and healthcare companies. The software assists nonprofits in financial planning and analytics. As the world changes every day, Workday’s Adaptive Planning monitors overall finances, expenses, donations, grants, and more to forecast and report trends and other information to help nonprofits. In understanding an organization’s finances so comprehensively, a nonprofit can more effectively plan and budget in the future. To learn more about Workday’s Adaptive Planning and request a free trial of the software visit this link.

CharityTracker: Collaboration in Action

Of all the programs on this list, CharityTracker is one of the most unique. The program enables nonprofits to connect with each other and collaborate to improve their services. The program was created as a response to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort in 2005. The creators noticed issues with the effort in their hometown of Florence, Alabama. The agencies and organizations, which were there to help, often held duplicate operations and poorly managed resources due to an overall lack of communication. To address this lack of communication, CharityTracker was born. Through a user-friendly interface, nonprofits can communicate in real-time to share information, such as initiatives, bulletins, and even referrals. By staying informed and working together, nonprofits can more collectively and effectively serve their communities. Pricing for the program starts at $20 a month, but the potential benefits are nearly limitless.

Double the Donation: Matching Gifts

As the name suggests, Double the Donation is a program designed to help nonprofits maximize their donations, specifically through matching gifts. Typically, matching gifts are a component of corporate donating programs; employers use them to make a difference and promote a positive environment. In general, it entails a company matching its employees’ donations to nonprofits. However, most donors do not submit their donations to their employer for matching. To remedy this, there is Double the Donation; the program helps donors find and quickly request matching from employers. With it, donors can potentially double their gift to a nonprofit. By signing up with Double the Donation, nonprofits can increase their fundraising with ease. More information on how it works and pricing for nonprofits can be found here.

OnBoard: Board Management

Despite the importance of fundraising, there are programs that have nothing to do with it; one of them is OnBoard, a program designed for nonprofit boards and leaders. Of all the features, it essentially provides board management software. The board of directors of a nonprofit is one of the most vital parts of the organization, and OnBoard makes being an effective board member simple and informative. OnBoard’s software streamlines meeting preparation and provides members with a variety of documents and data. Whether on a smartphone or a computer, OnBoard can make meetings more collaborative and give members access to real-time data and documents. From this, boards can strategize more effectively and have better, more productive meetings. OnBoard even offers users a free trial of the software before buying, ensuring that organizations are happy before they purchase. To learn about OnBoard, click here.

Bloomerang – Donor Management and Retention

While there are a number of donor management programs, Bloomerang breaks the mold by focusing on donor retention. Through retaining donors and opting for repeat donations, Bloomerang helps nonprofits increase revenue through established donors, rather than seeking new ones. To achieve this, the program offers constituent timelines, which break down a donor’s giving history, giving summaries, which provide info on giving behavior, and smart reports, which can give nonprofits comprehensive data on donor retention. Moreover, Bloomerang also features a simple, interactive dashboard to help review and track donors, donations, and fundraising campaigns. The program is offered at various prices, starting at $99 a month, but it ultimately depends on the number of records a nonprofit requires. More information on Bloomerang can be found here.

Sage Intacct 

In any business, organization, corporation, or nonprofit, reliable and efficient accounting software is required. For nonprofits in particular, there is Sage Intacct. The program, made specifically for nonprofits, provides an inclusive view of the funds, numbers, accounts, summaries, and details needed to effectively operate as a nonprofit. With Sage Intacct, nonprofit staff can proactively manage initiatives, actions, and efforts to improve all outcomes and monitor funds. To learn more about Sage Intacct and sign up for a demonstration, click here.

ImportOmatic

Nonprofits often do work across numerous platforms, apps, programs, and software. Unfortunately, this can lead to disjointed or disconnected data. But data, especially data on donors, donations, and community efforts, is essential to nonprofits. To reconvene data, there is ImportOmatic; the program helps nonprofits integrate their data to ensure consistency. Whether it’s online donations, marketing, or engagement, ImportOmatic combines data to create an entirely integrated ecosystem for nonprofits. More information on the program, as well as a place to request a demonstration, can be found here.

Little Green Light: Simple Donor Management

Of all the donor management programs available to nonprofits, Little Green Light is one of the easiest to use; however, it is by no means lacking. Aside from its intuitive design, the program offers a fully customizable dashboard, customizable reports, constituent and contact management, the ability to create acknowledgment messages and receipts, integration with other programs and platforms, and customizable, trackable mailings. To aid in ease of use, Little Green Light automatically categorizes donors based on donations amounts, giving frequency, and more, aiding nonprofits in their fundraising efforts. Before buying, Little Green Light offers a free trial worth testing, but even after the trial, Little Green Light offers plans based on constituent numbers, starting at $39 a month. For more information of the program and pricing, click here.

Invest in Programs

No matter the issue or area that needs improvement at a nonprofit, there is almost always a program available to help. After all, that is why we have technology in the first place: to make life easier. Whether it is improving fundraising, retaining donors, or importing important data, one or more of these programs can assist, making your nonprofit even more effective. Although they may come at a monthly or annual cost, each program is absolutely worth what they offer.

For more tips, tricks, advice, and guides on how to make the most of your nonprofit, be sure to click around our website. We offer a variety of content – from articles to podcasts – all designed to provide useful insights and advice on how to grow your nonprofit. At Nonprofit Growth, our mission is to make your mission a success.

By Richard Morris