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Donor database software provides nonprofit organizations with the ability to track every important piece of information about their donors, and also about volunteers and other supporters.  This information is critical for today's nonprofits that need to communicate effectively across multiple channels - often with limited resources.

Is your fundraising event moving online?  We have been talking to our clients, nonprofit consultants, and doing a little brainstorming with our Salsa nonprofit experts.  The most popular suggestions and ideas are listed below, along with some data on what other nonprofit organizations are doing. 

Donor Management Software provides organizations with a system to track information about not only their donors, but all of their supporters including volunteers, advocates, event attendees, and board members. Donor Management Software is also known as Nonprofit CRM or Constituent Relationship Management software, and is used to manage supporter data and record of interactions with each supporter. Choosing the right Donor Management solution for your organization requires a thoughtful and thorough approach.

Today's CRM systems are much more than the original "Customer Relationship Management," systems that tracked customer names and addresses, and little else.  Today's CRM systems are complex platforms that track every aspect of a company's client relationships and activity. Nonprofit CRM systems, also known as "Constituent Relationship Management" systems, similarly can track almost any piece of information about all of your supporters. 

We sat down recently with Joyce LeBombard, the President of the League of Women Voters Austin Area, to talk about the process her organization went through to select a software system.  Joyce and the League of Women Voters Austin Area (LWV-AA), the largest League of Women Voters chapter in Texas, have agreed to let us follow them through their implementation and share their story with other organizations who might be going through the same process.  We started by discussing how they made their system selection in the first place.

Advocacy can be defined as individuals taking action to publicly express their support for specific causes. These clear and defined actions help advance that particular mission or cause and promote its success. 

Employers are facing a tough job market right now. With low unemployment rates, the market heavily favors candidates and employees over organizations. 

A whopping 3.6 million employees voluntarily quit their jobs in July 2019, the highest number on record since April 2001. Employees are becoming pickier about the jobs they’re applying to and interviewing for, and are more open to jumping ship for opportunities that appear to be greener. 

"Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?

The Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.

Alice: I don't much care where.

The Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn't much matter which way you go.

Alice: ...So long as I get somewhere.

The Cheshire Cat: Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”

– Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

As summer fades into fall and we start donning scarves and warmer jackets, no doubt your staff is abuzz with putting the final touches on fall fundraising events and programs, and preparing for your final end-of-year fundraising push. 

If your nonprofit has conducted research about CRM software, you've probably come across Salesforce. Salesforce is a popular CRM for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

In nonprofit organizations, communication is key to ensuring your fundraising goals are met, and that your events go off without a hitch. 

As an Executive Director, you have to make sure everyone is on the same page, that roadblocks or challenges are identified as soon as possible, and that last-minute surprises are kept to a minimum. 

While you may hold regular staff meetings to collect status updates and keep everyone on the same page, don’t underestimate the power of one-on-one team member meetings to keep your initiatives and organization running smoothly.