Do you work for a nonprofit organization? If so, you know that the demands of your job stretch far beyond your 9-to-5. You need software to help you get things done. Whether it’s managing fundraisers or marketing online campaigns, there are endless tasks on your to do lists.
Thankfully, there’s a solution for every need you encounter. From accounting software to fundraising management tools, there’s a nonprofit tool ready to help you take some of the weight off your shoulders and help you reach your goals!
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at these software programs and services that can help your nonprofit organization grow!
What is Software For Nonprofits?
Software for nonprofits is a company that uses its software to support and increase the efficiency of nonprofit organizations. The software is explicitly aimed at helping nonprofits with their efforts, whether organizing volunteers or boosting donations.
This software is an extremely popular startup business model. However, the software can also be geared towards an individual, such as donation software that helps a certain group of people donate to their cause.
Software For Nonprofits Types
Software for nonprofits can be broken down into several different subcategories based on the type of software they provide and the business model they use. Some of the most popular types include:
Accounting Software For Nonprofits
Many accounting software for nonprofits is used by nonprofits to track money due and owing to them. This type of software is owned by nonprofit organizations and used to account for their donations, raise funds, etc.
Some of these services are hosted online, while others can be downloaded directly onto personal computers or mobile devices. Other services are offered in the form of a cloud-based service, which can be accessed from anywhere using any internet connection. If a nonprofit organization cannot host its software, it will likely be getting it hosted at an outside accounting firm or an online hosting service provider.
Event Software For Nonprofits
Nonprofits are constantly in need of sign-ups for events and campaigns. Event software for nonprofits is created by groups of people and used to gather new sign-ups and increase attendance.
These events can be anything from volunteer orientations or a fundraiser to a large conference. Online software for nonprofits is essentially the same thing as the software for nonprofits type of service. People go in and sign up online, make donations, etc.
Donation Software For Nonprofits
Many organizations would like to increase donations from the public as a way to raise funds. This software for nonprofits is designed specifically for this purpose and used by nonprofit organizations to set up online donation establishments.
The software may help a certain group of people donate, such as students or low-income earners. In the case that this software is hosted at an outside hosting service provider and not the nonprofit organization itself, then it will be using the services of a third-party provider to handle its setup. These providers will have their refund policy as well, so you must agree with them if your organization gets this type of software for nonprofits.
Grant Management Software For Nonprofits
Grant management software for nonprofits is used by nonprofit organizations to apply for and keep track of grants. These are often used as a way for organizations to fund different projects, such as a clean-up campaign. Grant management software for nonprofits may be hosted at an outside hosting service provider or with the help of a third-party vendor.
This type of software might also be used by people who run their small businesses and create a grant proposal to receive funding from the government or investors.
CRM Software For Nonprofits
CRM software for nonprofits is a specific type of customer relationship management software used explicitly by organizations in the nonprofit sector. It is designed to keep track of all kinds of information on a customer, including their personal contact information.
This type of software will help people and companies create donors and keep track of potential or existing donors. It may also be used to keep track of volunteers and donations without relying on paper records. This type of software is often purchased and implemented by third-party vendors that will then help the organization set it up and add its specific data.
Software For Nonprofits: Pricing
Software for nonprofits can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $25,000 depending on the specific type of software needed. The price that you pay will depend on the specific technology stack that you need to use.
Numerous other things can be included in the price of such as maintenance, support, and training. However, it is good to make sure that any pricing offers are free or have a low initial fee before purchasing software for nonprofits.
Make sure to pay attention to the type of services included in the software and ensure that these are services you want for your organization. For example, if your nonprofit needs social media management and blogging, then it is likely that you will need additional software that is more than just the basic social media tool to get the job done.
Software For Nonprofits by Deployment
Most types of software for nonprofits are deployed in the following ways:
Hosted Software For Nonprofits
This type of software is hosted or installed at an outside hosting service provider. As a result, this type of software for nonprofits is usually cheaper since the nonprofit organization does not have to buy its equipment and pay for ongoing maintenance. However, you will need to rely on outside parties to host your software and provide support if things go wrong.
Purchased Software For Nonprofits
A lot of nonprofit organizations choose to purchase their software for nonprofits. These types of organizations may have a large budget or the ability to afford the additional costs associated with hosting and upkeep.
Cloud-Based Software For Nonprofits
The cloud-based version of the software for nonprofits is hosted much easier than actually having your equipment or servers that need to be maintained.
