In a world full of people constantly striving for perfection, it’s only natural for your nonprofit to crave new levels of speed, efficiency, and time management in your everyday projects.
That being said, your nonprofit team are not superheroes, and there are definitely times when juggling every task — from fundraiser development and data tracking to marketing and communications — can be just too overwhelming.
Luckily, that’s where all the extraordinary types of nonprofit software come into play. Of course, your nonprofit probably already has some of these types of software in place, but the real question is: are you using them to their full advantage?
To ensure that your nonprofit is getting the most out of modern technology, we’ll explore how each of the following types of software can skyrocket your productivity in no time:
- Matching gift software
- Text-to-give software
- Peer-to-peer fundraising software
- Event fundraising software
- CRM software
By implementing these technologies into your daily goals and responsibilities, your nonprofit will become a well-oiled machine in no time.
Let’s get started!
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1. Matching Gift Software
How It Works
Surprisingly, many nonprofits are still unaware of all the wonders to behold with matching gift software.
For those of you who may not be familiar with how matching gifts work, let’s recap: companies match employees’ donations to eligible nonprofits by doubling or even tripling the gift.
That being said, many nonprofits with matching gift programs don’t know how to effectively promote this opportunity to their supporters.
With a matching gift tool though, donors can easily check if their company offers matching gift opportunities by searching on your nonprofit’s donation forms or webpages.
Overall, this practical software is guaranteed to help nonprofits of all sizes secure a boost in fundraising as well as expand their donor demographic.
How It Impacts Productivity
When it comes to matching gift software, there are several reasons why nonprofits tend to never go back.
For one, it’s easy to target new donors while earning double (or triple) the funds in half the time. Not to mention how simple it is for donors to access either on your nonprofit’s website or donation forms.
To make the matching gift process easier, this software is also equipped with an array of features to identify matching gift opportunities faster and more efficiently including:
- Matching gift pages that easily break down the process.
- Matching gift search tools for donors to locate their employer in seconds.
- Integration with donation forms for donors to search for matching gift programs that apply to them.
Once a donor has used your software to participate in a matching gift program, your nonprofit is then able to remind your donors about new contribution opportunities with effortless follow-up features like:
- Bulk screenings to narrow down previous matching gift donors.
- Tailored emails and donation requests for employees of matching gift companies.
- Email domain screening to easily indicate a donor’s matching gift eligibility.
For more information about the benefits of matching gift software, check out Double the Donation’s expert’s guide to matching gifts.
Takeaway: Altogether, matching gift software’s donation efficiency will save your team precious time and energy on fundraising hassles.
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2. Text-to-Give Software
How It Works
From sharing pictures and videos to emojis and downloadable links, it’s no wonder why many mobile users have embraced the flexible platform of text messaging.
That’s why many nonprofits have utilized text-to-give software to provide a fresh digital angle to traditional fundraising strategies.
While this software does fall under the mobile giving umbrella, text-to-give software bridges the electronic donation gap between nonprofits and cell phone users.
Although the process varies slightly between each provider, the text-to-give process can generally be broken down into these steps:
- The donor texts the nonprofit.
- The nonprofit sends the donor an automated response.
- The donor receives a link to an online donation form and completes it.
- The nonprofit sends the donor a digital receipt of their transaction.
In short, the exchange couldn’t be simpler for n both the nonprofit and the donor.
How It Impacts Productivity
The main reason why nonprofits can’t go wrong with this software is because it plays right into the familiar and universal nature of texting that mobile users of all ages have come to enjoy.
As a result, text-to-give not only speeds up the donation process but its sheer convenience cannot be matched anywhere else.
Many text-to-give services also offer a variety of features designed with long-term fundraising in mind, such as:
- The option for donors to set up recurring gifts.
- The ability for donors to send out unlimited donations.
- Easy integration with peer-to-peer fundraisers.
Takeaway: By opening up this digital channel of communication, text-to-give allows nonprofits to maximize mobile strategies in a fluid and accessible fashion.
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3. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Software
How It Works
With an emphasis on fun community building, it’s no secret why nonprofits so often turn to peer-to-peer fundraising as an engaging way to jumpstart online donations.
This captivating process involves rallying together a team of fundraisers to virtually reach out to friends and family for nonprofit contributions.
In addition to being extremely cost-effective, these popular DIY campaigns in turn generate substantial funds as well as bring your nonprofit team and supporters closer together.
However, without the right digital system to hold all of your separate fundraising entities together, your nonprofit’s peer-to-peer fundraiser may soon fall apart at the seams.
With peer-to-peer fundraising software though, your nonprofit can track fundraising data and progress as well as market merchandise and events from a single resource.
How It Impacts Productivity
From designing donation pages to sparking friendly competition on social media, peer-to-peer fundraising software makes it easy for both your nonprofit and fundraising team to tackle a variety of virtual tasks.
These versatile platforms offer several interactive assets to bring out the best in your P2P campaign including:
- An interactive dashboard to track both individual and nonprofit growth.
- Social media tools to boost digital marketing and outreach.
- Custom online donation pages and gamification tools (badges, fundraising thermometers etc.)
There are a number of different P2P platforms, each with their own strengths. Discover which peer-to-peer fundraising software best fits your nonprofit’s needs with this thorough side-by-side comparison from Fundly.
Takeaway: Peer-to-peer fundraising software’s engaging functions will provide the digital aid you need to reel in team donations like never before.
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4. Event Fundraising Software
How It Works
Another great way to make your nonprofit fundraiser a splash in the community is to organize a sharp and lucrative event.
This dynamic project is your chance to spice up things up on the donation front with fun and unique experiences that capture supporters’ loyalty in the long run.
To organize such an event, your nonprofit must be skilled at multitasking at every stage, from planning the event to executing it with style.
To help ease the burden of this long to-do list, nonprofits rely on event fundraising software to coordinate all of your event administrative tasks from the convenience of one platform.
How It Impacts Productivity
Investing in proper event fundraising software can make all the difference in organizing a philanthropic success or a donation dud.
For starters, instead of scattering your projects across several complex systems, event fundraising software allows your nonprofit to access everything you need from one fluid database.
This control will regulate the number of surprises at your event as well as the time you spend running around addressing every minute detail.
Furthermore, its straightforward yet versatile functions allow your nonprofit to streamline all of your important tasks so that you can manage them effectively and efficiently like:
- Ticket sales
- Table and seating arrangements
- Social media marketing
- Auction tools
- Event data management
- Donor data management
Takeaway: Event fundraising software can help you arrange a flawless event fundraiser while still having plenty of time to enjoy it yourself.
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5. CRM Software
How It Works
CRM (constituent relationship management) software may sound complicated at first, but after incorporating it in all of your everyday activities, your nonprofit will wonder how you ever managed without it.
That’s because CRM software encompasses all of your fundraising and communications needs through specific donor management functions.
Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t done through magic, but rather but consolidating all of your nonprofit’s most valuable data in one, easy-to-reach place.
How it Impacts Productivity
Most types of CRM software will differ slightly in their online functions, but at the end of the day, they all make it easier for nonprofits to achieve a comprehensive understanding of donor relationships.
To accomplish this, your CRM software relies on a series of reliable and efficient features to tackle nonprofit development in a clean and organized fashion such as:
- In-depth donor profiles for tracking personalized information.
- Email automation to target specific donors needs and interests.
- Data reports on fiscal activity and donor engagement.
- List segmentation to administer relevant and compelling communication.
CRM software can also include built-in features tailored to a specific nonprofit area like:
- Donor management software
- Digital marketing software
- Online fundraising software
- Online advocacy software
Takeaway: CRM software uses data insights to help your nonprofit craft tailored donor outreach strategies with grace and ease.
Above all, the next time your nonprofit falls behind in donor outreach or suffers a fundraising dry spell, don’t lose hope, or worse, momentum. Instead, consider the possibility that all it may take to elevate those productivity levels once again is investing in the right software.