5 Reasons Why Your Nonprofit Needs Fundraising Software

How would you like to raise more money this year? Improve constituent relationships? Provide enhanced reports on fundraising activities?

All of this and more is possible when your nonprofit uses fundraising software. Fundraising software offers better oversight and management of all of your fundraising activities. And, you’ll raise more than organizations who do not use it, while saving time.

Raising more money and saving time might be enticement enough to purchase fundraising software. There are additional benefits you might need to know to persuade your director or board to budget for fundraising software.

The 5 Big Benefits of Using Fundraising Software

Spreadsheets, office productivity packages, and free email systems are sufficient for startups. Still, once your organization matures, you need robust software to manage the entire donation and fundraising process end-to-end. Top fundraising software such as Abila MIP integrated with Mobile Cause provides a comprehensive system that enables you to manage records, send promotions and appeals, and report on activities easily.

Other benefits of using fundraising software include:

  1. Raising more money: According to Mobile Cause, nonprofits using their software raised 4x more than those relying on other systems. Fundraising software enables you to store and manage all of the constituent data in one place. Such systems, called CRM systems, also allow you to link records to analyze relationships among donors. These patterns can be used to create sophisticated campaigns that leverage data for best results. Additional information from your donors can be used to solicit matching gifts, establish fundraising activities, and much more.
  2. One database: Bouncing among various databases, spreadsheets, and office productivity software is exhausting. Make a mistake in one document, and you have to hunt through multiple files and spreadsheets to find and correct it if it’s proliferated. Moving data from one system to another requires time and energy that you’d rather put towards other activities. Fundraising software offers all of the functions found in various productivity, contact management, and spreadsheet programs in one single database. It makes it so much easier to manage multiple campaign aspects.
  3. Satisfying your board: Boards require comprehensive reports on activities conducted by the organization. If you’re using disparate systems, you’re probably spending a lot of time creating spreadsheets, charts, and other data that can be used in reports. With fundraising software, you have the option of running multiple types of reports from the database. These reports do not need additional formatting. They are already formatted attractively and cleanly making them easy to understand. They can satisfy even the pickiest board member requesting information.
  4. Connect with donors: Not every donor appreciates the same amount and frequency of information. With separate systems, it’s hard to juggle campaign customization. Fundraising software makes it simple to add fields to a donor’s account so you can customize the frequency and type of connections they request. If Donor A prefers email and Donor B prefers snail mail or text, you can customize their system’s preferences to reach them in the method they require.
  5. Send thank-you notes faster and easier: Saying “thank you” to donors is one of the essential steps in the fundraising campaign process. The quicker you can thank a donor for their gift, the more favorably they will view your nonprofit. Fundraising systems enable you to send customized thank-you letters to donors as soon as donations are received. Donors who receive a thank-you within 48 hours of giving are more likely to give again. Maximize this feel-good period by sending thank-you notes quickly and easily.

Fundraising software is much more than tracking inbound donations. It leverages the sophistication of CRM systems with the business intelligence reports of a good accounting program. If you’re interested in learning more about fundraising software, please visit our website or contact Welter Consulting at 206-605-3113 for more information.