innocence network donor database...
TRANSCRIPT
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Innocence Network Donor Database Guide
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Donor Database Guide
Contents How to Use This Guide and Accompanying Chart ........................................................................ 3
Benefits to Your Innocence Organization ................................................................................... 4
Choosing a Donor Database ..................................................................................................... 5
Definitions ............................................................................................................................ 6
When Price and Ease of Use are Paramount ............................................................................... 7
DonorSnap......................................................................................................................... 7
For Mid-Size Organizations Who Want Integrations..................................................................... 7
DonorPerfect ..................................................................................................................... 7
GiftWorks (Frontstream CRM) .............................................................................................. 8
Bloomerang ....................................................................................................................... 8
If You Have More to Spend and Want Bells and Whistles.............................................................. 8
DonorPro........................................................................................................................... 8
CharityEngine..................................................................................................................... 9
The Best of the Rest................................................................................................................ 9
eTapestry .......................................................................................................................... 9
CiviCRM............................................................................................................................10
Little Green Light ...............................................................................................................10
NeonCRM .........................................................................................................................10
Raiser’s Edge .....................................................................................................................11
Salesforce .........................................................................................................................11
NetSuite ...........................................................................................................................11
Abila ................................................................................................................................12
Telosa ..............................................................................................................................12
FundlyCRM .......................................................................................................................13
Kindful .............................................................................................................................13
CommitChange..................................................................................................................13
NationBuilder....................................................................................................................14
Network for Good ..............................................................................................................14
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How to Use This Guide and Accompanying Chart This guide begins with an overview of things to think about and different decisions to consider to help
you determine which tool is the right fit for your innocence organization. There are also definitions to
some commonly used terms to help you navigate the process. The bulk of the guide consists of brief
narrative descriptions of 20 different databases, broken down into four categories:
When Price and Ease of Use Are Paramount
o This category makes cost-effectiveness a priority and includes an option that will meet
all your basic needs, but without a lot of extras that make using the database confusing.
For Mid-Size Organizations Who Want Integrations
o These options are still affordable, even if they are not the least expensive of the bunch.
They all offer a full package of online fundraising tools and broadcast email that share
data automatically with the database.
If You Have More to Spend and Want Bells and Whistles
o These options have all the features of the above category, plus some. They offer
additional functionality in areas such as advocacy or social media, and come at a slightly
higher price.
The Best of the Rest
The accompanying chart is structured in the same order and offers comparative information on pricing
and common features.
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Benefits to Your Innocence Organization Fundraising is about relationship building and a database is your relationship holder. Your database
holds institutional memory on how much Jane gives or what you talked about with Joe during your last
visit. Once you have more than a few donors who are close friends, it is difficult for anyone to remember
all this information, and even more difficult for them to share it with board members, other staff
members, or their replacement if they leave the organization. This information is important because it
helps you understand how to communicate with your donors and what to ask for. Your fundraising will
be much less successful if you ask someone for $100 who last year gave $1,000, or if you meet with Joe
and ask him all the same questions he gave you answers to at your last meeting. People will begin to feel
that they, and their gifts, are not important to you and perhaps even start to wonder if your
organization is truly well-run.
So why can’t you just put this information into an Excel spreadsheet? Excel is a powerful tool, but it is
not a database. Excel is not designed to track relationships between data, such as which individuals are
in a household or who solicited a particular gift. Finding complex information or identifying unique lists
of names, such as all donors who gave every year for the last five years, or who were on mailing list A
and gave last year but not this year, can be very difficult. Being able to find this information allows you
to segment your supporters so that you can tailor your messages and actions to build stronger
relationships, increase donor loyalty, and raise more money. A database should make it easy for you to
look up donors, view giving histories, understand relationships, and analyze trends – without having to
be an Excel wizard. And as the number of donors you’re tracking grows, an Excel spreadsheet can
quickly become cumbersome in size. You have to add a new column for each additional piece of data,
even if only one person has a separate work email or summer address.
Some databases also offer advanced functionality such as task management, automatic updates to
addresses, or connecting to donors’ social media profiles. And many databases integrate with other
software platforms you may be using, such as Quickbooks for accounting, Constant Contact for email, or
any number of payment services for donations, which can save you valuable time avoiding duplicative
data entry.
The Network Support Unit recommends that any organization engaged in fundraising invest in a
database to track your donors and gifts. If your affiliated institution tracks donors on your behalf, it may
still be beneficial to have your own database so that you can have complete and immediate access to
the data and the ability to customize information. Some institutions don’t allow groups to track donors
independently, so check in with the appropriate staff before you begin your search. Free options are
available, (though the right fit or all the bells and whistles may come at a price) so don’t let cost be a
barrier. Good data is a powerful tool that when used well will help you raise more money from more
people.
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Choosing a Donor Database Once you’ve decided to implement a new database, there are a few things to consider. You should begin
by doing an inventory of the software you currently use for donation and donor management, such as
any accounting software, broadcast email, event, or donation tools. Think not just about what you use
now, but also what you might use in the future. Once you know what you have, you will want to
determine if you want to use a database that integrates with any of the other tools you’re currently
using or if you’re willing to make changes. By thinking about the full spectrum of software you use or will
use, you can avoid or mitigate having multiple and potentially cumbersome solutions. Depending on
what you already have in place, this may dramatically narrow your search.
You should think about who will be using your database. Some tools require a lot of training or more
extensive knowledge of databases, while others are more intuitive and offer a more turnkey solution.
You’ll also want to look at the training and support options. If you have volunteers using the database or
staff that are less technologically savvy, you may want to use a more simplified system or one with
better customer support options. Often, any functionality you may lose in the trade-off will be beyond
the scope of a small to medium-sized organization.
Most databases provide for basic functions such as tracking relationships, mail merging letters, and
allowing for custom fields. Many can track grants, volunteers, and cultivation management with donors.
Increasingly, databases are tracking more information related to social media and engagement.
Reporting features may vary widely as well, and if you can’t track it, you certainly can’t report on it. You
will have to decide what information is important for your organization to track and report on and
ensure any database you choose can do the job.
For many Network member organizations, cost will be a significant factor. There are free tools available
and in this sector free does not always mean giving up functionality. However, the free tool may not
always be your best fit, depending on the other factors, such as ease of use or available integrations that
you’ve identified as important to you. The pricing portion of the chart reflects the lowest cost option
available. The features indicated in the chart represent the fullest capabilities of each tool, but may not
be included in the entry-level pricing. Particularly if you are interested in services beyond the scope of
the database, such as integration with donation pages, you are likely to pay more for these additional
functions. Price also generally increases with the size of your database and the number or records you
have. The chart is useful for direct comparisons, but should be used in conjunction with this guide to get
the fullest picture. You’ll need to get your own quotes to determine exact pricing and fairly do a price
comparison for what you’re looking for.
When you decide on one or a few options that you think might work for you, reach out to each company
to get your specific questions answered and make sure it’s the right fit. Companies may change their
products and pricing so it’s a good idea to get the most up to date information directly from the
provider.
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Definitions The terms below are used frequently throughout this guide:
Cloud-based: Internet-based computing, where shared resources, data and information are provided to
computers and other devices on-demand. Typically with a cloud-based system updates can be made
automatically.
PC-based: Software that is loaded directly onto your computer and can be accessed only through the
computer. Typically with a PC-based system updates need to be made manually.
Mail merge: The automatic addition of names and addresses or other information from a database to
letters, envelopes, emails or other written communications in order to facilitate sending to many
addresses.
Query: Advanced search that locates a group based on criteria that those in the group share.
Integration: Automatic data sharing between two systems.
Data migration/conversion: Moving large amounts of data from one database or file to another format
or database. Differs in volume and complexity from a simple import and often comes with a separate fee
for service.
NCOA: National Change of Address; a database of changes to mailing addresses.
Open source: Software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be
redistributed and modified. This allows third-party developers to make customizations and applications
for the system.
Peer-to-peer fundraising: The ability to allow multiple supporters of an organization to create their own
fundraising pages and solicit their personal networks for gifts, either as individuals or as part of a team.
Soft credit: The ability to credit a gift to a particular solicitor for bringing that gift in without double
counting the dollars.
Moves management/Prospecting: The process of relationship building involved in cultivating and
soliciting a major gift, either from a returning donor or a “prospect,” who is someone who has never
given before.
Batch input: Allows you to set some criteria as standard during gift input in order to avoid having to
manually re-enter data.
Mobile responsive/ready: Online pages that do not lose functionality and automatically resize
depending on the type of device on which the user is viewing the page.
Widget: An application, or a component of an interface, that enables a user to perform a function or
access a service.
Klout score: A number from 1-100 that measures an individual’s influence and engagement online,
determined using an algorithm that draws from more than 400 signals across eight networks.
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When Price and Ease of Use are Paramount
DonorSnap
DonorSnap is a low-cost and user-friendly donor database that also includes online giving functions from
events, to peer-to-peer pages, to one-time and recurring gifts. It can even notify a board member when
someone they know or have been in touch with gives a gift, to create more seamless information
sharing and relationship building. Querying is strong, if sometimes complicated, and the system includes
an array of useful donor reports that can be filtered easily. DonorSnap charges only based on number of
contacts in the system, and offers unlimited users. Support is included, as is data migration for the
majority of clients.
“DonorSnap is more user-friendly than some highly complex tools, but has more functionality
than some of the more basic options on the market. I really liked the integration between
systems and with donor contacts and the way it can grow with our organization.”
- Oliver Burnette, Midwest Innocence Project
For more information, contact Mark Mueller at [email protected], (262) 696-9561
For Mid-Size Organizations Who Want Integrations
DonorPerfect
DonorPerfect has strong functionality in gift and donor tracking and mail merge. The system is very
configurable including custom fields, custom interactions, and the ability to delete or rename fields that
aren’t helpful to you. Online donation pages are included in the software costs and peer-to-peer pages
can be added at an additional cost. They also partner with third party applications for auctions, mobile
payment processing, and e-commerce and offer integration with Constant Contact. Plans range from
$59-$264 a month, plus one-time set up fees ranging from $95-$995 and additional per-month charges
for upgraded customer service.
“Being able to have all of the data in one place and to be able to track donations has made
life much easier. Another time saver is that DonorPerfect links with Constant Contact and
automatically updates our Constant Contact addresses daily.
My biggest frustration has been producing reports. The process for creating filters seems
unnecessarily complicated. However, DonorPerfect support is very responsive by phone or
email, and they are in the process of redesigning the report function in the system.”
- Bill Babcock, Pennsylvania Innocence Project
For more information, contact Terry Hersh at [email protected], (800) 220-3591. For group
pricing, you must go through Sara LaCava Lieberman.
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GiftWorks (Frontstream CRM)
GiftWorks is part of Frontstream, which has expanded its services in the last few years to include a
donor database, online giving and event ticketing, mobile bidding and auction services, and peer-to-peer
fundraising. Each service is mobile and widgets allow you to embed your “Donate Now” button,
leaderboard, total raised, and event registration into your website. GiftWorks provides useful gift
tracking and donor management functionality, with a nice “dashboard” of all your interactions with a
donor. Emailing, mail merging, querying, reporting, and accounting controls are also solid. The system
also allows users to search for donors phonetically. Frontstream also includes tools to help find and
encourage corporate matching gifts and create workplace giving campaigns that track both giving and
volunteer hours. Frontstream integrates directly with MailChimp or Constant Contact for seamless email
broadcasting. GiftWorks starts at $90 per month for unlimited users and up to 4,000 donor records.
For more information, contact Brian Kannar at [email protected], (703) 281-0049
Bloomerang
Bloomerang focuses on donor retention and has a dashboard that prioritizes this key metric. You can see
a timeline of each supporter’s history with the organization and highlights of the most important
information. Supporter engagement is measured in “cold,” “warm,” “hot,” and “on fire!” based on over
a dozen different criteria. Bloomerang can integrate with donation pages through a widget and has built
in email broadcast functions. Its mail merge functions allow you to run the “Ahern Audit,” based on best
practices from communications and fundraising expert Tom Ahern, and reading level tests on your
materials. While Bloomerang may not have as many bells and whistles as other tools, their easy to
follow and visual interfaces help you see and organize the information most important to you.
For more information, see their website and pricing details.
If You Have More to Spend and Want Bells and Whistles
DonorPro
DonorPro is particularly strong in support for pledges, moves management, mail merging, and reporting.
DonorPro was recently acquired by Salsa, though you can still purchase DonorPro separately. With this
merger, email marketing can be provided through either Salsa or Constant Contact and Salsa provides
additional functions for supporter engagement in advocacy, such as petitions and “write your rep” tools.
You can create donation pages either through Salsa or DonorPro and customized event forms,
registrations, and peer-to-peer functions are available for an additional set up and monthly fee.
DonorPro has a mobile-optimized user interface, with a particularly friendly tool for generating queries
and sophisticated capabilities around batch gift entry, including a check scanning module. The system
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has powerful quick search capability, including phonetic searching to compensate for spelling errors, and
this capability now includes searching for data in custom fields. Pricing starts at $180 a month plus one
half of one cent per donor record and includes a price lock guarantee for as long as you use the product.
Every customer service package includes live and immediate phone support.
For more information, contact Gary Rigdon at [email protected], (866) 935-8281 ext. 224
CharityEngine
CharityEngine is a full service platform that is extremely comprehensive. It is a donor database that links
giving through donation pages, events, peer-to-peer fundraising and mobile giving. They also have email
and advocacy functions as well as advanced event tools for online or in-person auctions. As a result, you
can search and query on a huge variety of data including website traffic, clicks on email links, and social
media shares, as well as traditional giving and contact information. This data also allows CharityEngine
to customize donation forms with previous giving information. There is a powerful map that shows you
where your donors are, from countries down to election districts. Addresses are updated through the
national NCOA database in real time. The platform is modular so you can create a custom menu of
features that allows the platform to grow with your organization. Basic use can start as low as $50 a
month with modest set up fees.
For more information contact Casey Walton at [email protected], (703) 639-9008
The Best of the Rest
eTapestry
eTapestry is an integrated donor management solution that includes a donor database as well as the
ability to create online donation forms that can also be customized as registration forms for events or
volunteer recruitment. The base product provides strong gift- and donor-tracking functionality, as well
as reasonable email, mail merge, and reporting functionality. Querying is complex and some
terminology is not intuitive, making it less user-friendly than some other tools. Because eTapestry is a
cloud-based product, its mobile functions allow you to check out donor information while you’re away
from the office. New functions include the ability to see what social media platforms the majority of
your supporters are on and automatic updates to supporter addresses directly from the U.S. Postal
Service. It also includes its own email blast function with templates for many different types of
communications from newsletters to invitations. Mobile payments with integrated payment processing
allow you to seamlessly accept gifts wherever you are. Basic packages start at $119 a month, though
more sophisticated add-ons and additional donor records can increase the price dramatically.
For more information contact Jama Buttler, [email protected], (317) 819-7509,
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CiviCRM
CiviCRM is a free and open source online system that offers basic functionality for donations as well as a
number of other supporter interactions, including a strong event module. CiviCRM comes with a
selection of standard donor reports, and allows you to easily include charts and graphs in your reports.
Users looking for automation for workflows and reminders will need to set up CiviCase, a case
management system integrated with CiviCRM. CiviCRM is able to integrate with common website
platforms, such as WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla!, in order to offer online payment and form-building
functionality that shares data with the database. You’ll need someone familiar with installing and
configuring open source systems on a web server in order to get you up and running. Several third-party
providers offer turnkey hosted installations of the product. Since CiviCRM is open-source, the
community provides add-ons to enhance its functionality, or with the help of a skilled programmer you
can build just about anything you want.
For more information, see their website.
Little Green Light
Little Green Light is optimized for novice users, making it a great choice for people with less database
familiarity or who use volunteers to help with data entry. Simple workflows for the entry and retrieval of
donor information, strong search capabilities, and a clean screen layout contribute to this product’s
approachability. Little Green Light now also has integration with MailChimp and Constant Contact as
well as built-in broadcast email capability, can process payments through integration with PayPal, and
integrates with Formstack and Wufoo for online forms. The system can also manage basic volunteer
data, and handles gifts and their acknowledgements well. Customization is somewhat limited; you need
to ask the vendor to add or hide fields.
For more information, see their website and pricing details.
NeonCRM
NeonCRM from Z2 Systems is a strong integrated online system with solid support for donor
management. It has support for pledges, soft credits, and prospect management workflows that let you
track the steps taken to convert prospects into active donors. The system automatically logs internally
generated communications, and can also log email you send from any other system by including a
special email address in the bcc line. There is some functionality to track and report on grants separately
from other gifts. The support for mail merged letters is useful, and broadcast email is bolstered by
integration with MailChimp. NeonCRM is also one of the few tools with a true integration with
Quickbooks for accounting functions. The system also has strong integrations with online web forms for
petitions, surveys, and donations as well as events and peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns. Pricing
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begins at $49 a month and is based on the number of records in the system and the number of
“modules” or functions added.
For more information, see their website at and pricing details.
Raiser’s Edge
Raiser’s Edge is part of the Blackbaud family, a well-established brand of sophisticated tools. It is used
widely by universities and is often a good choice for large organizations, though the expense and
complexity put it out of reach for many small or mid-size organizations. However, as a Blackbaud
product, Raiser’s Edge is relatively isolated – it integrates with other Blackbaud products, but not many
third-party tools. Raiser’s Edge has strong reporting and querying capabilities, but can be complex to
learn and use. There are also robust abilities for grant tracking and moves management. Raiser’s Edge
allows you to access updated address information from the U.S. Postal Service, automatically update
credit card information for recurring gifts, and proactively identify deceased donors. Their newest
edition, Raiser’s Edge NXT uses giving history information as well as wealth research to help you identify
your top prospects. It is one of the more expensive products, with additional costs associated with
maintenance, support, and additional users.
For more information, see their website.
Salesforce
Salesforce is widely used in the for-profit world, and 501(c)(3) organizations can get up to ten licenses
for free. The NonProfit Starter Pack, which can be downloaded from the Salesforce Foundation website,
offers some basic fundraising functions. Because Salesforce is an open-source platform, hundreds of
apps exist to add additional functionality, and with the help of a programmer, the database offers
almost limitless customization. Because of its wide usage and flexibility, many tools offer integration
with Salesforce. On the flip side, Salesforce can be less intuitive and user-friendly. Many organizations,
including the Innocence Project, work with Salesforce consultants to get set up or do more complicated
functions.
For more information, see their website.
NetSuite
NetSuite offers free software, including its donor database, to qualifying nonprofits as part of a grant
program, which also includes a four-day training. Organizations can apply to become a grantee through
TechSoup Global. NetSuite includes integrated donation pages, event registration, and broadcast email,
as well as its own integrated accounting system, geared towards those with more advanced system
needs. Email, mail merge, querying, and reporting are all strong and comprehensive. However, each
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screen includes a lot of information and buttons, making it potentially difficult to find what you’re
looking for and slower to complete some tasks.
For more information, see their website.
Abila
Abila (formerly Sage) offers two packages, Fundraising 50 and Elevate, for fundraising and donor
management. Currently, Fundraising 50 integrates with its online fundraising software, Abila Fundraising
Online, for donations, event registration and peer-to-peer fundraising. Elevate will offer this integration
soon. Fundraising 50 offers all the functionality of querying, reporting, and mail merge, but is organized
in a less intuitive way and the interface is somewhat outdated and organized like a card catalogue.
Elevate offer a much more user-friendly interface with stronger search capabilities, data visualization,
and easier querying. It also offers the ability to create an engagement score for supporters based on
custom criteria and access to social media profiles directly from a donor profile. Both products include
task management, easy imports, and batch gift input. Pricing is based on the number of users and access
to the online fundraising tools are additional.
For more information, contact Penny Brittain at [email protected], (512) 861-3058
Telosa
Telosa offers three packages for nonprofits: Exceed! Basic, Exceed! Premier, and Exceed Beyond. The
Basic version offers limited customization for records and reports and doesn’t include the ability to
automatically record mailings in donor records, apply soft credits, or track matching gifts. Exceed!
Premier offers more functionality and customization as well as the ability to add modules for grant
tracking, events, online fundraising, moves management, and volunteers. While the Basic and Premier
packages are PC-based and priced per license, Exceed Beyond is a cloud-based software with unlimited
users. Exceed Beyond also provides stronger reporting and customization compared with other
packages as well as integration with Qgiv for online donations. A single license for Exceed! Basic is $499
and you only have to pay for optional annual support after that. Exceed Beyond is priced based on the
number of records and begins at $50 a month for 1,000 records plus an additional $30 a month per
module with discounts for paying annually. Note that most of the information in the accompanying
chart relates to Exceed Beyond.
“Telosa products are quite user friendly. Exceed! Basic is a very simple donor database that is cost
effective and provides users with more than just an excel spreadsheet.
Exceed Beyond is a definite upgrade from Basic. It’s cloud-based so you can access it from anywhere,
and have multiple users in it at once. It offers a lot of flexibility in terms of capturing donor
information and running reports. I would add that sometimes this can be a negative about it as well as
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there are so many different ways to do one thing it can get messy if you aren’t careful. It also comes
with unlimited e-mail support which I have definitely taken advantage of.”
- Jene O’Keefe Trigg, Innocence Project New Orleans
For more information, contact Ann Troussieux at [email protected], (800) 676-5831 ext. 113
FundlyCRM
FundlyCRM (formerly NonProfitEasy) can track donors, memberships, and volunteers. Dashboards
display useful information about both donations and other financial interactions, like membership dues
or purchases from an online store, as well as contacts you’ve had with them. The system includes
broadcast email and has the capability to integrate donation pages and event pages through WordPress
plugins or hosted pages. Email and other acknowledgements are strong, and there is a solid event
module that includes ticketing. Importing is limited to contact information and anything additional,
including any giving history, must be entered manually or imported by the company for a fee. There are
several tiers of the program, based on the number of records in the database and how many email
blasts an organization sends; packages start at $55 a month.
For more information see their website and pricing details.
Kindful
Kindful integrates all of its donation, event, and peer-to-peer fundraising pages with its donor database
to automate thank yous, tax receipts, and update in real time. Search functions are robust; when you
begin typing in the search box Kindful automatically starts to populate what you might be looking for
and it can search across contacts, campaigns, and communications. Reports and queries are easy to
create with a single interface that allows you to include any field from the database with “and” and “or”
logic for inclusions and exclusions. Integration with MailChimp allows you to use all this data to best
communicate with your donors. Pricing is based on the number of records you have and begins at $100
a month.
For more information, see their website and pricing details.
CommitChange
CommitChange is currently in the process of adding more functionality to their database to add to the
donation pages, peer-to-peer fundraising, and event ticketing and registration that they currently offer.
CommitChange emphasizes data visualization and currently has a nice map to see where your
supporters are and dashboard reporting that can easily be manipulated with filters. However, querying
to create lists or reports is currently limited to only a portion of the data collected in the system, though
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it is expanding with time. As a tech-focused tool, CommitChange offers great integration with social
media and has plans for advanced data sharing that would allow you to track your supporters’ interests,
values, and comments online. However, their future focus is sometimes at odds with traditional
fundraising practices; they don’t have, and don’t plan to include, a mail merge function for printed
letters. For $99 a month (and no annual contract) you can take advantage of CommitChange’s robust
online fundraising options if you are willing to wait for more functionality in the database, with promise
of even more exciting things to come.
For more information, contact Roderick Campbell at [email protected], (888) 726-8128
NationBuilder
NationBuilder is an affordable solution that includes a donor database that integrates with your website
and pages for donations, peer-to-peer fundraising, advocacy actions, events, or recruitment. It also
includes fully integrated email and text messaging with the ability to allow supporters to sign petitions
and take actions with text message keywords. Advanced data will automatically connect email addresses
with your supporters’ social media accounts so you can identify key influencers. The dashboard shows a
nice overview of activities within the system and progress towards goals and you can see a visual map of
where you supporters are. Reporting capabilities are limited and there is no mail merge function in the
system. Pricing is based on the number of people in your database and on your email list and begins at
$29 a month.
For more information, see their website and pricing details.
Network for Good
Network for Good now offers a donor database that integrates with its online fundraising suite. This is a
relatively new platform and so some functions, such as soft credits, are still being built. This tool is
recommended for groups who are moving from other small databases or Excel, as currently they can
only transfer contact and transactional data. The database is built for ease of use and has a clean
dashboard with nice visual reports on campaigns, retention, designations, and overall dollars raised.
Building queries and reports is easy through a set of filters and they offer some helpful standard filters.
Logging offline communications is less streamlined. Pricing is based on number of records and other
integrated services and begins at $99 a month for the database, or $179 a month to bundle the
database with donation pages, events, and peer-to-peer fundraising functions, the data from which flow
directly into the database.
For more information, contact Taylor Harveycutter at [email protected], (202)
627-1610