How to Pick Excellent CRM Software for Nonprofit Companies

Introduction

Nonprofit organizations can be challenging to run, and using the right CRM software can help them in various ways. But let’s start with the obvious question. What is CRM software?

CRM stands for customer relationship management, though some refer to it asconstituent relationship management software. It is a type of software that helps organizations manage their clients by connecting various departments like customer service, management, etc., into one system. People in an organization can use their CRM to track clients and connect with coworkers in real-time.

Different types of organizations have different kinds of CRM software that’s designed for their needs. This is also true for nonprofits. The best nonprofit CRM software has the following features:

Cost-Effective

While many nonprofit organizations with vast resources exist, not every nonprofit has a considerable budget. That’s why top nonprofit CRM tools are usually cost-effective. Some of the most popular ones have basic editions that are actually free for nonprofit organizations that qualify. In addition, the fees are transparent with no hidden costs.

Scalable

Good nonprofit CRM is scalable for two key reasons. The first reason is that organizations can buy the features they need and avoid paying for the features they don’t want. The second is that many nonprofits using older computers don’t need to run bloated software with features they’ll never use.

Customizable

Many nonprofits have needs utterly unique to them. For such nonprofits, good CRM software offers customizable add-on features designed to suit their wants specifically.

Key Features

It’s almost needless to say that CRM software for nonprofits should have key features for the industry. Let’s look at some of them:

• • Case management
  • Fundraising
  • Memberships
  • Goal reaching thermometer
  • Volunteer management
  • Donation pages
  • Accounting software integration
  • Email marketing
  • And more.

Support

Any software that’s critical to the operations of an organization should have support from the developers in case of glitches, questions, or other concerns. In addition, the support should come from live phone conversations with insightful and professional staff at no extra cost and not just email and chatbots.

Secure

Here’s the thing. Cybersecurity attacks are rising, and experts feel that there is no end in sight. From ransomware threats to spyware attacks, threat actors are blackmailing charities, hospitals, and other not-for-profit organizations, compromising their data and their operations. No one expects nonprofit CRM software to have state-of-the-art endpoint security protection, but it should at least offer payment data security. It should also be programmable to offer access on a need-to-know basis to avoid accidental data leaks. For instance, a nonprofit’s volunteers likely don’t need to see privileged donor information.

Easy-to-use

A nonprofit organization shouldn’t need extensive training to learn how to use its CRM. That’s why top nonprofit CRM tools feature intuitive user interfaces with low learning curves. Easy-to-use nonprofit CRMs are also faster to roll out in an organization.

Similarly, any good CRM is compatible with other office tools like accounting programs, email marketing apps, word processing suites, etc.

The Bottom Line

These are just some of the characteristics of excellent CRM for nonprofits. Organizations should look up several reputable tools based on references and reviews. They should also test them out to select the right one for their operations.

Infographic created by Sylogist