DONOR DATABASE AND SOFTWARE

What is donor management software and why is it important?  

Serious fundraising requires a good donor relational database – a way to track who your donors are, their contact information, a history of their giving, and their giving preferences. Don’t rely on spreadsheets if you are serious about raising money and intend to grow your donor base and your donations. A good donor database is an important practice that will help increase your donor base and donor retention, strengthen donor relationships, and can take your fundraising to the next level. When you actively use it, it can streamline your administrative work, create timely reports and most importantly, help you to know your donors better!  Every professional fundraiser will tell you… you need this!   

Not all donor software products are created equal, and your needs will be different from others, so give it some thought. All nonprofit donor software vendors offer real-time demonstrations. Many vendors also allow for a free 30-day trial. There are many factors to consider when making a donor software investment.  A donor software product should have in addition to supporting donor information and gift tracking, the capability of a secure payment processor, communication and marketing integration, and gift analysis.  

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN PURCHASING A DATABASE

Donor Profiles:

  • Does the platform allow for custom donor profiles and donor segmentation?
  • Can you easily add fields?
  • Is there an option to merge records for families?
  • Does it track gifts by campaign and date in donor record?

Support

  • Is support available by phone, text, email?
  • Is support available beyond business hours, on weekends?
  • Is training included? For how long? Are there online training tutorials?

Reporting 

  • Are there standard reports for end of year by donor, dollar amount, campaign, and type of donation?  
  • Reports for lapsed donors? By date?  
  • Is there a grant tracking module? 

Donation pages:

  • What payment processors are compatible with the platform: Credit card processors, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay?
  • Is there an option for donors to cover the processing fee?
  • Does the platform allow for creating multiple branded donation pages, recurring donation options, and customized “Donation buttons”?
  • Can you add custom amounts and wording for specific campaigns?
  • Is the donation page mobile friendly, does it offer easy, simple click through payment?
  • Is there integration with accounting software like QuickBooks?

Communication:

  • Can donation pages be easily integrated in email blasts and on websites?
  • Does the platform allow for automated and customized acknowledgements and tax receipts?
  • Is there easy integration with communication platforms, like personalized email, newsletters, and event invites?

Some vendors to consider:  

Bloomerang Bloomerang | 2024 Reviews, Pricing, Pros, Cons, & Features (softwareconnect.com) 

Eleo Eleo Online Fundraising & Donor Management Software 

Donor Perfect DonorPerfect Software | 2024 Pricing, Reviews, & Features (softwareconnect.com) 

Bonterra (formerly Network for Good) Bonterra Guided Fundraising (Network for Good) | 2024 Reviews, Overview (softwareconnect.com) 

DONOR STEWARDSHIP

Donor stewardship – it starts before the first thank you. It is a process of building a long-lasting relationship with your donors. Communicate with your donors often, be transparent and authentic. Share the important stories of how the library impacts the community – as a trusted resource, a place to gather and connect, and a place for life-long learning. And don’t be afraid to share your challenges too! Your goal should always be to inspire continued donor engagement, ensure they have a positive experience and to encourage them to become lifelong donors. And don’t forget to include sharing legacy giving opportunities with your donors. (See Legacy Giving Tab)

Here is a link to some good tips from Bonterra (a Fundraising/Philanthropy software and giving platform company). How to create a donor stewardship plan: A step-by-step guide (bonterratech.com)