Many nonprofit organizations rely on individual donations to keep operations going, making it essential to properly track and manage your donor information. Donor management software makes it possible to track names and contact information, segment your donors, send communications, and understand how donors interact with your messages. Since so many tools help perform these functions it can be difficult to choose the correct tool for your organization and needs. We want to break down a few of the things you should consider when making a donor management software decision.
Sizing
Software choice should depend a bit on the size of your organization and the number of donors you maintain, as well as how you expect to grow in the future. Most organizations don’t need the capacity for massive lists, but you probably want to use software that will allow you to scale up as your organization grows. Generally, the amount you spend is dependent on available features and the amount of contact space you have. Avoid overpaying for software just because it seems like the newest or most advanced solution, especially if you don’t need the advanced capacity.
Trackable Information
You want to be able to track contact information, including donation history and engagement. Create a list of the information you want to maintain for each donor to ensure you can properly manage and segment your donor list.
Communication abilities
While you want to avoid overpaying for features, streamlining your technology is never a bad idea. Consider options that will allow you to send direct communications to individuals or segmented mailing lists.
Reviews and Demos
Getting demonstrations or trials of software is always a good idea, because it allows you to better understand how software works in action and assess whether the features meet your needs. As with any purchase, you should also take time to see what others have to say. Hearing from current or former users will help give you an understanding of how features work, the level of support you can expect, and what kinds of organizations are best suited for a software option.
Cost
Pricing factors into every purchase decision your organization makes, and it is important that the solution you choose is priced correctly for you and for the long term. Think about how your needs will change in the future, if the software you’re assessing can meet those needs, and if changes in cost will be affordable for your organization.
Selecting software can be a difficult and time-consuming process for any nonprofit organization. We hope the above criteria make your Donor Management Software selection processes easier.
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