Best CRM Software for Nonprofits
In a Nutshell
While CRM software is usually associated with businesses and corporations focused on amassing continuous profits, they’re not the only organizations that can benefit from the higher level of coordination they bring to the table. Nonprofit organizations are often structured similarly to businesses, and many of the same programs can be used to help them streamline their work processes.
With the abundance of CRMs available out there nowadays, it can be hard to find the right solution for your nonprofit. This is why I’ve compiled this review of the top six CRMs for nonprofit management. They’re all great in their own way. As for which one is the best choice, that all depends on the unique needs of your organization.
6 Best CRM Software for Nonprofits
1.Monday.com – Best for Larger organizations with tech-savvy teams
2.Bitrix24 – Best for Nonprofits in need of an all-in-one platform
3.Freshsales – Best for organizations that value on-the-go functionality
4.Hubspot – Best for Free CRM
5.Salesforce – Large charities with multiple international programs
6.Donor Tools – Best Donation Management
Top 6 Best CRM Software for Nonprofits
As someone who works in a non-profit organization, I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be to manage the multiple aspects of the work at a nonprofit organization. That’s why I was excited to try out Monday.com and verify whether it makes good on its promise to simplify workflows and increase productivity. After using it for a few weeks, I can confidently say that it does!
Why I Like It
The first thing that stood out to me about Monday.com is its intuitive interface. The platform is designed in a way that is easy to navigate and understand, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy. I found it incredibly easy to create new projects and assign tasks to team members. There’s also a drag-and-drop feature that allows you to move tasks around on the board, making it easy to prioritize them.
Another feature that I appreciated was the ability to customize workflows. Non-profit organizations often have unique processes and procedures, so it’s essential to have a project management tool that can accommodate those needs. With Monday.com, you can create custom workflows that reflect your organization’s way of doing things. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and that nothing falls through the cracks.
Collaboration is key when it comes to project management at nonprofits, and Monday.com makes it easy to communicate with your fellow team members. You can add comments to tasks and projects, mention specific people, and attach files. This feature has been invaluable for our organization since we have team members located in different parts of the world.
Finally, Monday.com offers a wide range of integrations with other tools such as Slack, Google Drive, and Trello. This means that you can seamlessly connect all of your favorite apps and streamline your workflow even further. For example, we use Slack for internal communication, so being able to integrate it with Monday.com has been incredibly helpful.
Who Can Benefit
In my opinion, Monday.com is an excellent choice for non-profit organizations of all sizes. Whether you’re a small grassroots organization or a large international non-profit, Monday.com can help you manage your projects and tasks more efficiently.
One of the things that I appreciate about Monday.com is its flexibility. The platform is highly customizable, which means that you can tailor it to your organization’s unique needs. This is especially important for non-profit organizations that often have complex workflows and processes.
Another group that may benefit from Monday.com is remote teams. Many non-profit organizations have team members located in different parts of the world, which can make communication and collaboration challenging. Monday.com’s collaboration features make it easy to work together, no matter where you are.
Finally, Monday.com is an excellent choice for non-profit organizations that are looking to increase their productivity. By streamlining workflows and automating repetitive tasks, teams can focus on the work that really matters.
Pros
- Process automation tools
- Wide range of collaborative features
- Lots of integrations
Cons
- It can be quite expensive for smaller nonprofits
- Steep learning curve
One of the biggest challenges that nonprofits face nowadays is the coordination and management of initiatives. There are numerous moving parts, including fundraising, volunteer management, event planning, and communication with stakeholders. That’s why I was excited to discover Bitrix24, a cloud-based business management and collaboration platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. As it turns out, it also does a great job helping nonprofits raise funds, as well as manage projects and relationships with donors.
Why I Like It
I love how versatile Bitrix24 is. It includes a wide range of features that can be easily customized to fit the unique needs of any nonprofit organization, big or small. I used its CRM tool to manage our donor database and track donations. On top of that, the project management feature allowed me to assign tasks, set deadlines, and monitor progress on various initiatives.Â
HR management tool was of great aid in terms of keeping track of volunteer information, including hours worked and areas of expertise. The communication tools are the cherry on top of the Bitrix24 cake, with chat and video conferencing making it easy to stay in touch with staff, volunteers, and board members.
Another aspect of Bitrix24 that I find valuable is its social intranet. This feature enables you to create an internal social network where members of your team can share updates, news, and documents. I used it to keep everyone informed about upcoming events, new initiatives, and other important information. It’s also a great way to build camaraderie and a sense of community among our staff and volunteers.
Affordability is another part of Bitrix24 that shouldn’t go unnoticed. Working at a non-profit organization, I know firsthand what it’s like to operate with limited resources and needing to be careful about how you spend allocated money. The fact that Bitrix24 offers a free plan with unlimited users and features is a huge plus. Of course, there are some limitations to the free version, such as a limited amount of online storage and a cap on the number of emails you can send per day. But I have found that the free plan meets my organization’s needs quite well, and it’s easy to upgrade to a paid plan should you need more functionality in the future.
Finally, I appreciate the ease of use and intuitive interface of Bitrix24. It’s effortless to get started with the platform, and the learning curve is relatively gentle. The interface is clean and modern, and the navigation is straightforward. This makes it easy for staff and volunteers to use the platform without a lot of training or technical knowledge.
Who Can Benefit
In my opinion, Bitrix24 is an excellent CRM and project management tool, and it works extremely well in the nonprofit setting. Whether you’re a small grassroots group or a larger, more established organization, Bitrix24 can help you coordinate and manage your initiatives more effectively.Â
The platform is particularly useful for organizations that have multiple moving parts, such as fundraising, volunteer management, and event planning. It’s also a great tool for nonprofits that have staff and volunteers scattered across multiple locations, as the communication tools allow you to stay connected no matter where you are.
Overall, I highly recommend Bitrix24. It’s a versatile, affordable, and easy-to-use platform that goes a long way when it comes to helping you manage leads and donor relationships.
Pros
- Integrates with tools like email, calendars, and CRM systems.
- Offers a range of communication channels, including chat, video calls, and social networking.
- Provides a centralized platform for managing projects, tasks, and team members.
Cons
- Limited customization options and rigid structure may not suit all organizations.
- The mobile app lacks some features available on the desktop version.
Non-profit organizations with limited budgets are always on the lookout for ways to improve operations and increase impact. One tool that I found helpful in this regard is Freshsales, a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) software that has been designed to help businesses manage their sales processes and improve customer engagement. Since I started using Freshsales, I have noticed significant improvements in my organization’s donor relationship management, communication with volunteers, and event management processes.
Why I Like It
I like Freshsales for a number of reasons. As someone who is not particularly tech-savvy, I appreciate how user-friendly the software is. The dashboard provides an overview of my donor and volunteer activities, making it easy for us to track progress across various areas.
Freshsales also allowed me to create custom fields and tags, which is crucial for non-profit organizations with unique data management needs. We can create custom fields for information such as volunteer interests, donor preferences, and event attendance. This helps us to segment our donor and volunteer lists and personalize our communication with them. The app offers excellent integrations with other software applications that I use regularly, too, such as Mailchimp and Zapier.
There’s also a Freshsales mobile app that allows access to my organization’s donor and volunteer data on the go. This proved particularly useful at events or meetings where I needed to refer to our data quickly. The app is well-designed and has all the necessary features, including the ability to create and edit records, log calls, and send emails.
Finally, Freshsales has excellent customer support. Whenever I had a question or needed help with something, I was able to contact their support team, and they were always quick to respond and help us out. With a range of support options, including a knowledge base, email support, and live chat, I never felt like my requests went unnoticed.
Overall, Freshsales is an excellent nonprofit CRM software. It has all the features that I could possibly need to manage our donor and volunteer relationships, and it is extremely easy to use and customize. The integrations with other software applications that we use regularly are a particular highlight, and the mobile app is a useful addition.
Who Can Benefit
Whether you’re a tiny grassroots nonprofit or a large international charity, you’ll find Freshsales useful. It is particularly suitable for organizations that value mobility and lots of integrations. It offers a range of features that are relevant to non-profit organizations, including lead and contact management, deal management, analytics, and integrations with popular third-party applications such as Mailchimp and Zapier.
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Custom fields and tags
- Integrations with other software applications
- Mobile app for on-the-go access
- Excellent customer support
Cons
- Limited reporting features compared to some other CRM software
- Limited customization options for the dashboard and pipeline views.
After using Hubspot for a few months, I can confidently say that it has become an essential tool for my organization, and while other CRM platforms did the job just as well, Hubspot’s simplicity was one of the main reasons why I added it to this list.
Why I Like It
Hubspot brings all of my marketing and outreach efforts together in one simple online platform. From the organization’s website, through email and SoMe marketing, all the way to lead generation, I was able to manage everything without leaving Hubspot’s handy webapp. Not only did it save me a whole lot of time, but also kept me organized and on top of all the campaigns I was in charge of.
Non-profit organizations typically have limited budgets, which is why I appreciate Hubspot’s affordable pricing plans. The basic plan is free and includes a lot of useful features, such as lead capture forms and email marketing tools. The premium plans are also reasonably priced and offer additional features such as social media management and advanced analytics.
As someone who is not a marketing expert, I loved the approachability of Hubspot’s interface. It’s easy to navigate and understand, even for someone who is not familiar with the marketing lingo.
One of the most important aspects of any marketing campaign is tracking its effectiveness. Hubspot offers robust analytics that helped me see how our campaigns were performing in real time. Website traffic, social media engagement, leads, you name it; I could track everything!
Who Can Benefit
If, like me, you’re a marketing newbie, then Hubspot is the platform for you. It’s also designed to be scalable, so you can start with the free plan and upgrade as your needs grow.
Non-profit organizations are always looking for ways to increase donations and engagement. Hubspot’s tools for lead generation, email marketing, and social media management can help you to reach more people and build relationships with your supporters.
Limited resources make running effective campaigns quite difficult for nonprofits, which is why platforms like Hubspot, with comprehensive free versions, can be a lifesaver for even the tiniest organizations looking to make the world a better place.
Pros
- Centralized marketing and sales platform
- User-friendly interface
- Robust analytics
- Scalable for non-profits of any size
- Easy to use for organizations with limited marketing resources
Cons
- Limited customization options for email and landing page templates
- Certain features, such as social media reporting and A/B testing, are only available on the higher-tier plans
Salesforce.org is a game-changer for nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. It provides a suite of technology solutions that help these entities manage their operations more effectively and achieve their goals. As someone who has worked with non-profit organizations and educational institutions, I was impressed by the way Salesforce managed to pack most of its best features into the dedicated nonprofit CRM software.
Why I Like It
Salesforce.org provides a comprehensive set of products and services that address the unique needs of non-profit organizations, all packed into a powerful piece of software that goes above and beyond in terms of customizability and integrations.
It’s built on the same platform as Salesforce, which is a leading CRM platform used by businesses worldwide, allowing nonprofits to benefit from the same technology infrastructure and best practices that businesses use to manage their operations. This is particularly important because they often face the same challenges as businesses when it comes to managing relationships with stakeholders, tracking donations and grants, and measuring outcomes.
Contrary to its parent platform, Salesforce.org is designed to be easy to use and customize. Its interface allows non-technical staff to manage their operations without relying on IT support. Additionally, it offers a range of customization options that allow organizations to tailor the platform to their needs. This means that organizations can adapt Salesforce.org to fit their unique workflows and processes rather than having to change their operations to fit the technology.
As someone who works with nonprofits, I appreciated Salesforce.org’s commitment to social impact. The platform reinvests its profits into the non-profit sector and provides pro bono services to charitable organizations.
Who Can Benefit
Smaller nonprofits will benefit greatly from Saleforce.org’s fundraising tools, whereas large, multinational organizations will definitely make good use of its project management functionality to manage complex programs and initiatives.
Educational institutions can also benefit from Salesforce.org. They can use its student management tools to track student data and manage enrollment, on top of raising funds and managing donor relationships.
Pros
- Built on the same platform as Salesforce, a leading CRM platform used by businesses worldwide
- Easy to use and customize
- Social impact mission
Cons
- Can be expensive for smaller non-profits
- Some implementations can be time-consuming and require technical expertise
- The learning curve may be steep for some users, particularly those unfamiliar with CRM platforms
As a non-profit organization, managing and maintaining a database of donors is crucial to your fundraising efforts. Before I started using Donor Tools at one of the nonprofits I work with, our donor management process was time-consuming and disorganized. However, since introducing the software to our day-to-day workflow, it has become much easier to manage our donor database, track donations, and generate reports.
Why I Like It
One of the features I really appreciate about Donor Tools is the ease of use. The interface is simple and intuitive, making it easy to navigate and add new donor information. The dashboard provides an overview of important metrics, such as the number of donations received and the total amount raised, making it easy to track progress toward fundraising goals. The software also provides customization options, allowing me to create custom fields to track specific donor information unique to my organization.
The ability to track donations in real-time is another helpful feature of Donor Tools. The software integrates with popular payment processors, such as PayPal and Stripe, allowing me to process online donations directly through the software. When a donation is made, it is immediately recorded in the donor database, reducing the chance of human error and ensuring accuracy. I was also able to set up automatic donation receipts, which are sent to donors via email, saving time and ensuring donors receive timely acknowledgments of their contributions.
Donor Tools also provides robust reporting capabilities. The software includes pre-built reports, such as donor lists and donation summaries, which can be customized to meet your specific needs. You can also create your own reports using the dedicated report builder, which allows you to filter data based on specific criteria, such as donation amounts or donor locations. These reports provided me with valuable insights into the organization’s fundraising efforts, allowing me to identify trends and make informed decisions to improve our fundraising strategy.
Who Can Benefit
If you work at a nonprofit that needs a comprehensive donor management system, Donor Tools is one of the best pieces of software you can find for that purpose. It is particularly suitable for organizations that are looking for an easy-to-use solution, customizable to meet their specific needs. It is also ideal for non-profits that process high volumes of online donations, as it integrates with popular payment processors, making it easy to track donations in real time.
Furthermore, Donor Tools is suitable for organizations in need of robust reporting capabilities. The software includes pre-built reports, as well as a report builder, which can be customized to meet specific reporting needs. This makes it easy for organizations to track progress toward fundraising goals and identify areas for improvement.
Overall, Donor Tools is an excellent choice for non-profit organizations looking for a comprehensive donor management system. It is easy to use, provides real-time donation tracking, and offers robust reporting capabilities. Whether you are a small non-profit just starting out or a large organization with a complex donor database, Donor Tools is a reliable and effective solution that can help you achieve your goals.
Pros
- Dedicated nonprofit CRM software solution
- Easy to learn and navigate for beginners
- Affordable pricing plans
Cons
- Fewer integrations than in other CRM platforms
- No 24/7 customer support
Why Should Nonprofits Use CRM Software?
Nonprofit charities and organizations have to deal with a lot of the same activities as regular businesses on a daily basis. Whether it’s having an effective way to organize data, payment processing, or meeting key performance indicators, a good CRM software solution can save them a whole lot of time and resources when handling these challenges.
Fledgling grassroots organizations can use these programs to take their activity to new heights, whereas well-established, international charities will find them useful in staying on top of the big picture with dozens of offices and remote teams scattered all around the world. Without a proper CRM to aid you in your efforts, things like donation management and volunteer coordination will be a lot more difficult than they need to be.
The Bottom Line
The six nonprofit CRM solutions I included in this review are all great choices for organizations that need to manage multiple marketing and fundraising campaigns. Some of them are better suited for smaller charity groups with low budgets, with exceptionally comprehensive free plans, whereas others, like Salesforce.org or Monday.com, can aid greatly with program management for big organizations with offices all around the world.
A good CRM is essential for keeping track of most nonprofit operations, whether it’s event registration, tracking potential donors, peer-to-peer fundraising initiatives, and more. Hopefully, my review has pointed you towards the best software for the particular needs of your organization.