So, which of the 23 systems featured in this report is the best? As we’ve said elsewhere, there is no best—each has its particular strengths, and each aligns with at least one typical use case for a nonprofit fundraiser.
That’s great news for organizations looking for a system that meets a specific set of needs. But it makes it complicated to try to understand the market and sift through the available options. Not every system is right for every nonprofit, but there is likely at least one in this guide that is a good fit for yours.
To help you determine which may best meet your needs, we defined a set of use cases, or scenarios, that cover a number of different typical nonprofit scenarios and identified the systems that, in our opinion, fit each one.
But keep in mind the following things:
- Each system may be appropriate for more than one use case.
- All of the systems we’ve listed under each use case will meet the needs of similar organizations, not just the one we’ve called out with a longer review.
- Your own organization’s use case may relate to more than one of those we’ve identified here, or none at all—look through them all to find the ones that most resonate for you.
Every system included in this report has solid donor management functionality. Every system allows you to create a variety of forms and collect online donations. Every system is cloud-based. In addition, every system costs less than $10,000 to implement and run in the first year. That’s what they have in common—the use cases we’ve identified focus more on areas where you see some differentiation among the systems.
Once you’ve identified a use case that most closely correlates to your own, revisit the previous section (What Do these Systems Do?) and begin pulling together a list of functions that address your current needs and pain points. Work with colleagues who will also use the system to sort these functions into high, medium, and low priorities so that you have a framework for what to look for in a system.
Armed with your prioritized list of features and a list of recommended systems that may best fit your needs, click through to the System Profiles to learn more about the systems we evaluated.
Remember, this guide is not meant to replace your software selection process—it’s only meant to facilitate it. Be sure to conduct your own due diligence, including reaching out to peers at similar organizations to ask what systems they are using and if they have any recommendations. If you attend industry conferences—most likely virtually, for the time being—seek out roundtables and workshops on fundraising tools or talk to vendors about the strengths and limitations of their systems.
If you are new to software selection, consider starting with online resources that walk you through the process and showcase best practices, such as Tech Impact Idealware’s three-part online course, Software Selection for Nonprofits, or Build Consulting’s 10 Tips for Selecting Nonprofit Software, Systems, or Platforms.
Alternatively, if you have the budget, consider hiring a consulting firm who can assist your nonprofit with software selection and work with you to find the best system for your organization. (Learn how Tech Impact can help you assess your needs and select and implement software.)