Technology for nonprofits has transformed how we operate.
There’s no denying that today’s world is faster than ever. Supporting your organization’s mission hinges on keeping up and hopefully finding an edge where you can get ahead of the game.
When you consider the complexity of tasks that you have to address as a nonprofit leader, it raises the question, how can your organization operate more productively? Technology tools can be your secret to success, from efficient communication to finding the right people at the right time.
With that said, you have a lot of options! We’re here to help you uncover some of the best tools to help your nonprofit improve productivity and support your overall mission. Below are some of our favorite tools to keep in mind.
CRM Solutions
CRM (Constituent Relationship Management) systems help you manage your interactions with constituents, analyze key data, and improve your service and relationships. It provides a one-stop shop for managing your contacts, donors, and other supporters.
One of the best advantages of a CRM is that it will help you manage all of your donor data in one place. It becomes challenging to manage data when you experience a system of disparate spreadsheets where your information is in separate areas. You’ll appreciate how easy it is to have all of your data in one place with the right CRM. A centralized view helps you conduct better analysis and utilize that data for maximum impact.
Features to Consider
One thing you’ll find when you shop for any new technology is that you can rapidly feel overwhelmed by the number of features and different options available. We recommend you begin by making a list of your “must-have” features. A list can help you narrow down your options and determine if a tool might be too big for your needs.
These are our suggestions for features to consider:
Fundraising-specific features. You should be able to create and implement a fundraising campaign and segment your list based on how your donors give or other vital characteristics.
Donor communications features. Your CRM should provide tools that connect you with your donors in various formats, such as email or print. You’ll want to send thank you notes, receipts, updates, new appeals, etc. If you already use an email marketing platform, it’s helpful to look for a CRM that integrates with it.
Donor management functionality. You should be able to view fundraising tracking, communications, and other essential activities in one central location.
Reporting and analytics features. You need to be able to spot trends promptly to take action to improve your results. An ideal system allows you to build, save, and schedule custom reports to easily access the information that matters most to you.
Possible solutions for nonprofit needs include DotDrives, NeonCRM, Salesforce (Nonprofit Success Pack), Bloomerang, and Little Green Light.
Find the right technology tools for your nonprofit to streamline your essential tasks.
Accounting Solutions
Accounting is an area that must be meticulous, but that can be a challenge as you grow. If your nonprofit uses Excel spreadsheets or something similar to manage the books, you can quickly outgrow them. It becomes difficult to keep track and ensure that spreadsheets are up-to-date.
Accounting solutions for nonprofits should focus on your unique needs for reporting, budgeting, and accountability to donors.
Here are some features to look for that can be helpful to your organization:
Customizable reporting features. You probably have different reporting needs and you need a solution that you can easily configure to help. For example, if you receive grant funding, you need accuracy when tracking it.
Bill paying and tracking. For nonprofits, a tool that allows you to stay on top of bills and track them is critical to the success of your mission.
Integrations with key tools that you use. For example, taking payments online via Stripe or Paypal simplifies your workflow if there is direct integration with your accounting tool.
Pricing tiers. One thing that is good practice across any technology you choose to use is “right-sizing” it. This term refers to choosing the solution that’s just right for your needs. Too big can be too overwhelming, while too small means you can’t meet some needs. Look for tiered pricing and functionality that scales with your needs.
Accepting and tracking online donations. It’s helpful if your accounting software records these automatically.
Payroll functionality. If you require payroll, it’s useful to have an accounting system to handle it.
Some possible solutions include Xero, QuickBooks, and Nonprofit Plus.
Board Portals
Board management software provides a collaborative way for your team members to share information, gain access to high-level information about your nonprofit, manage meetings, and store board-related documents.
The goal of board management software is to simplify collaboration among board members and avoid people falling out of the information loop. You’ll want cloud-based software so you know information is always up-to-date, and your board members can access it from anywhere they need to log on.
Board portals can play a pivotal role in strategic planning for your organization. A strategic planning process identifies strategies that will best enable a nonprofit to advance its mission. Ideally, as staff and the board engage in the process, they become committed to measurable goals and approve priorities for implementation. They should also commit to regularly revisiting the organization's strategies as the internal and external environments change.
Our software, Causey, is a simple and effective way to plan and execute goals to strengthen your organization.
Features to Consider
Here are some features to look for in board portals:
The convenience of the cloud. You can access web-based software anytime, anywhere.
Accountability. Your solution should show who is responsible for each task and include a goal progress tracker. Automated email reminders to team members with tasks due is another time-saving efficiency.
Analytics. The solution should have reporting to track data related to your goals.
Simplicity. Likely your board includes volunteers with various technological backgrounds. You need a solution with a simple interface that they’ll easily be able to pick up and use.
Some possible solutions include Causey, BoardEffect, Onboard.
Productivity Tools
“Productivity tools” is a broad category that covers a range of software to help you get tasks done more efficiently or streamline how you do things. Some universal tools suit any nonprofit, while others might work better for your specific mission.
We’ve compiled a few of the most helpful productivity tools below–and we use many of them at Mission Met!
Email, Document Storage, and More
You probably have email software already set up for your organization, but did you know that you can get reduced or even free licenses for software as a nonprofit? If you sign up for a free TechSoup account, you can access Google Workspace (including Google For Nonprofits), Microsoft 365, or hundreds of other low to no-cost tools.
If you're still deciding between Office 365 and Google Workspace, review all of the included tools, and think about how your team wants to work. There is no right or wrong answer, but not considering the pros and cons of what you adopt is a recipe for disaster.
Video Collaboration Tools
How many video collaboration tools have you used since the COVID pandemic began? Most people have some experience with Zoom, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, or other tools for holding meetings and collaborating at a distance.
You might already have a favorite, but make sure whatever you choose is easy to administer for you and your team. You want to create meetings, invite attendees, and manage the meeting easily.
Meeting Scheduling Tools
Emailing or calling back and forth to find a mutually convenient time for a meeting is an inefficient use of time, but most of us have done it at some point. Meeting scheduling tools are a significant time-saver, making it easy for everyone to view calendar availability and make bookings for meetings. Scheduling tools can also send automatic reminders to attendees.
Check out tools such as Calendly, Microsoft Bookings, SavvyCal, or You Can Book Me.
Screen Recording and Video Messaging
Options for screen recording or video messaging for nonprofit organizations are abundant. You might want to quickly show a new board member how the board portal software works or send a video message to your team.
If your goal is to send out quick, unedited videos, consider Zip Message or Loom as possible solutions.
If your goal is to produce a longer, higher-quality video that may be useful for months or years, you might need more editing capabilities. Tools such as ScreenFlow or Camtasia provide lightweight video editing features.
Conclusion
Above, we’ve detailed some of our favorite technology tools for nonprofits. As a starting point, we’d advise you to list the different tasks you need to do. You can use this to narrow down your options.
We also recommend checking out some key nonprofit technology resources that provide discounts and overviews of nonprofit technology. These resources include TechSoup, Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (NTEN), and Tech Impact's learning center.
Lastly, check out Causey to jump start or better structure your strategic plan. You can get a free 30-day trial here.