If you want to grow and maintain your membership program, you’ll likely spend a large chunk of your time planning and executing some sort of membership engagement plan.

Unfortunately, because “membership engagement” is such a broad concept, it’s tough to get your strategy right on the first try (or even after many tries!).

Lucky for you, we’ve made tackling the membership engagement issue a little less tricky. Here, we’ll provide you with 7 simple steps for increasing your organization’s membership engagement.

Here’s a preview of the subjects we’ll cover:

1. Define membership engagement.
2. Understand your members.
3. Communicate consistently.
4. Establish online engagement spaces.
5. Prioritize community-building.
6. Streamline the member renewal experience.
7. Track your membership engagement efforts.

Pretty soon, you’ll be a master of membership engagement (and you’ll have the member retention rates to show for it)!

Still in the planning phase of your new membership organization? Read our guide to starting a nonprofit membership program first!

1. Define membership engagement.

Before you can begin engaging your members in an effective way, you’ll need to figure out exactly what you hope to accomplish.

Membership engagement can take many forms, and if your team isn’t all on the same page with your expectations, you’ll find it much harder to accomplish anything.

So, take a few minutes to review your current engagement level and determine a few tangible goals for the future. Perhaps you want to:

• Increase attendance at membership events.
• Boost volunteer involvement.
• Encourage more participation in online communities.

Your engagement marker might be totally different than another organization’s, and that’s okay! Be sure that your goals reflect the needs and interests of your members and your organization, and you’ll be able to reach new heights sooner than you think.

Start your member stewardship strategy on the right foot with membership software that offers robust member profiles. The more your organization or association knows about its members, the more targeted your stewardship strategies can be!

2. Understand your members.

How can you cater to your members’ personalities if you’re not well acquainted with them? The short answer: you can’t.

That’s why it’s extremely important for you to get to know your members on a personal level. If you don’t, your engagement strategies run the risk of being generic and unappealing to your constituents.

It might seem like a daunting task to get to know each one of your many members on a one-on-one basis, but fortunately, your organization likely already has a tool on hand to make it much easier.

That tool? Your membership management software, of course!

With powerful membership management software (also known as association management software), you’ll be able to manage member data more effectively and leverage it to its full potential.

Not only will software help you stay organized, but it’s the only way you can get a full picture of your members’ participation and giving history in one centralized location.

With a knowledge of members’ interests, preferences, past involvement, and giving habits, you’ll be able to plan engagement opportunities that actually make sense for them—without any of the hassle of manual data management! 

Bonus: Still searching for the right association management software for your organization? Check out our list of the best tools before you start shopping around!

3. Communicate consistently.

Your members joined your organization or association because they’re personally invested in your efforts.

As your most devoted supporters, they deserve to be kept in the loop on your organization’s projects and your community’s trends and hot topics. 

To that end, you should be regularly communicating with your members in any (or all!) of the following ways:

• Email newsletters.
• Participation acknowledgements.
• In-person forums and events.
• Social media updates.
• Personal outreach.

By staying active in your members’ lives through regular communication efforts, you’ll remind them of their interest in your organization and encourage them to participate themselves.  

As important as it is for your organization to get the word out about important updates, it’s equally important that your members have a place to communicate, too!

Make sure your members know that your team is always accessible should they want to voice concerns, ask questions, or provide feedback. You can also send out surveys asking for targeted feedback on a regular basis, or host events dedicated to member-leadership interaction.

4. Establish online engagement spaces.

If you want to connect with your donors in real-time, it’s essential that you meet them where they already are. One of the easiest ways to do that is by taking advantage of the many different forms of digital communication.

There are two main online spaces you’ll want to focus on when maximizing membership engagement:

1. Your organization’s website.
2. Social media pages.

Let’s talk through each one individually.

Website

Often, your software will be able to generate custom member-specific webpages and constituent portals to incorporate with your organization’s website.

Not only do you want your website to be informative for any and all visitors, but you also want it to provide an engaging experience designed specifically for your members.

When building (or editing) your site, make sure you’ve got all the following bases covered:

• A user-friendly member portal.
• Well-branded design that reflects your organization.
• Online giving capabilities.
• Member self-management tools (e.g., member profiles, renewal options, event sign-up).
• A prominently displayed application page.

Most importantly, make sure your website is a source of all your organization’s most important information, from upcoming event details to relevant news in your community.

Bonus: Your membership site should be the hub of your organization, so don’t forget to use it to drive recruitment, too. Optimize your online application form for minimum donor abandonment with our guide to crafting the perfect donor application form.

Social Media

Almost every organization has a Facebook or Twitter account set up these days, but simply using social media is very different than actually using it well.

The first step to engaging members on social media is finding out which sites appeal to them (and which just don’t catch their attention).

Consider your organization’s demographic. Is your roster full of suit-and-tie professionals? You might thrive by setting up an organizational LinkedIn page. Is your group teeming with crafty moms and DIY fanatics? You might find your home on a Pinterest board.

If you’re still lost, turn to your member management software. Since some platforms have social matching features, you might be able to scour your database to find out which social media networks your members are actively using.

Once you’ve found your ideal environment, keep the following in mind:

• Know the limitations of your platform. What works for Twitter just won’t transfer to Facebook, so understand the constraints of each site before you start posting.
• Keep it visual. On almost every social media channel, visual elements are absolutely key. Keep your posts eye-catching by adding photos, videos, and graphics wherever you can.
• Diversify! While your main audience might love Instagram, you might be able to cater to another group through Google Plus. Find out your members’ preferences and try to meet them in as many places as you can.

Effective social media engagement is more challenging than you might think, but the payoff is definitely worth the effort!

5. Prioritize community-building.

Membership programs are unique in that they can create a thriving community based around shared goals, interests, and values.

Think about it: when an individual chooses to donate to or volunteer for a nonprofit, they might meet like-minded individuals at community service events or fundraisers, but more often than not, their involvement is a solo activity.

But when they sign up for the nonprofit’s membership program, they’re immediately met with a collective of others with similar passions!

Make sure your members are aware of the vibrant community within your membership program, and do your part to foster community-building whenever you can. 

Design online and in-person opportunities that facilitate member-to-member engagement, from starting a discussion in an online forum to hosting a member mixer filled with interactive activities for your guests. Get creative with it!

Choosing the right association management software can go a long way to help build a culture of community-wide engagement for your association or organization. Top features like online message boards, member-managed groups and committees, member directories, and self-service profiles make a big difference in letting members feel empowered to engage with your work in the ways that work best for them.

When your members are engaged with one another, they’ll be more connected to your organization overall (and they’ll be much more likely to participate in member activities when they know they have friendly faces to join them!). 

6. Streamline the renewal experience.

So far, we’ve been discussing how to keep your members engaged throughout their membership. However, there is another aspect of membership engagement that we can’t ignore: the member renewal process!

No matter how involved your members are, if they don’t sign up for another year, you’ve got some membership engagement problems to address. 

To make sure your members are excited to come back to your organization year after year, you should ensure that the renewal process is as simple and straightforward as possible. Consider implementing one (or more) of the following strategies:

• Automated renewal. Some software providers allow you to set up automated renewal reminders or even provide members with the option of recurring membership fee payments. Never let a member lapse due to forgetfulness again!
• Optimize your application process. Whether they’re applying for the first time or renewing for another year, your members should have no issue completing their application form. Optimize their experience by creating a form that’s user-friendly and easily accessible.
• Encourage additional giving. Give your members options for adding extra donations on top of their membership dues by using your membership management software’s built-in donation tools (or integrating with another online giving tool). Plus, give them the option to upgrade their membership level during the renewal process.

Bonus: Need some guidance before you send your next round of member renewal letters? Take a look at Fundly’s handy guide!

7. Track your membership engagement efforts.

As you implement different member engagement strategies within your organization, some efforts will inevitably see better results than others.

To make sure you’re moving forward (and that mistakes don’t repeat themselves), you’ll need to be able to track and analyze your engagement in a meaningful way. 

Thankfully, membership management software can make such a task much more doable. In fact, depending on your platform, you may be able to:

• Create custom reports. Find and assess the data you need by building your own reports using any information in your database. Then, easily share them with your team or constituents as needed.
• Quickly view fiscal data. Don’t waste time wondering which members have paid their dues; instead, get a comprehensive view of your fiscal situation in as little as one click.
• Evaluate event success. Assess event registration and attendance, view payment records, and compare overall success between multiple events to see which are worth revisiting next year.

When you use powerful membership management software to handle all your reporting needs, you’ll be able to easily gain insight into your engagement success and use that knowledge to prepare for the future.

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Needless to say, developing a successful membership engagement strategy is a major undertaking for any organization. But with these tips in mind, you’ll be able to confidently navigate all of your future membership engagement endeavors!

For more ways to engage supporters through your membership program, take a look at these additional resources:

• Double the Donation’s Top 10 Fraternity and Sorority Management Software: Whether you’re trying to manage membership dues, chapter meetings, or improve your alumni outreach, these tools can help you make membership management simple.
• OneCause’s How to Boost Member Engagement Through Charity Auctions: Live, silent, or online, hosting a charity auction is a great way to improve membership engagement. Check out OneCause’s expert tips on how to get started.
• Salsa Labs’ 5 Tips for More Effective Member Management: If you want to improve your membership engagement, you need to learn how to organization your program. Salsa has 5 tips to help make management easier.

 

If you’re looking for ways to amp up your annual fund, then you should consider hiring a nonprofit consultant. Fundraising consultants are professional advisers that can offer your nonprofit effective solutions to improve your annual fund.

Since there are so many different nonprofit consulting firms out there, the search may seem like a daunting task. However, with a few strategies, you can find the right adviser for your nonprofit.

Let’s take a look at six strategies you can use to start your search on the right foot.

1. Set up clear and actionable goals.
2. Determine what services you need.
3. Find a firm with annual fund experience.
4. Work with a consultant that can connect often.
5. Consider the cost of a consultant.
6. Narrow down your picks and request proposals.

If you’re looking for more strategies to improve your annual fund, check out this helpful guide.

1. Set up clear and actionable goals.

Before you can start searching for the right nonprofit consulting firm, you need to come up with your goals. Your goals can be anything from a timeline of when you want to have a nonprofit consultant hired to what you want to achieve once you hire someone. Create as many goals as you need to create a clear picture of what you want to gain. 

Goals are important because they not only help you see what you’re trying to achieve, but they also help your fundraising consultant figure out the best solution. If you can’t give your adviser a clear idea of what you want, he or she doesn’t know what direction to take.

Setting goals helps you point out the areas in your fundraising you need help with and gives your nonprofit consultant somewhere to start when coming up with solutions.

While improving your annual fund may be your overall goal, it’s not specific enough. If you want assistance that’s tailored to your nonprofit, you’ll need to be as detailed as possible.

To figure out your goals, you should start by determining where you need the most support. Your nonprofit may need help:

• Honing in on what makes supporters give.
• Creating a plan for your year-end fundraising.
• Writing an impactful appeal.
• Finding unique ways to interact with donors.

The important part is to figure out where you need the most help so that the professional can focus on those areas.

The takeaway: Goals set the groundwork for what you need. They give you more than just a way to measure success. Goals help your nonprofit consultant figure out what direction to take so that you can reach the best possible outcome.

2. Determine what services you need.

Now that you’ve got your goals, it’s time to assess how a nonprofit consulting firm can help you. By knowing what services you need, you can narrow down your choice to those that only offer what you need. In order to know what services you want, it’s important to know what a fundraising consultant can do.

That way, when you do hire someone, you can both start your project on the same page and with the same expectations.

In general, every firm offers slightly different services. We’ll cover some of the nonprofit consulting services you can expect to see among most firms:

• Conduct research on your donors’ giving behaviors.
• Create fundraising strategies.
• Assist you with hiring nonprofit professionals.
• Motivate and educate your staff on all things concerning fundraising.

In addition to the services mentioned above, many consulting firms specialize in a particular aspect of fundraising. For instance, digital fundraising consultants can design and develop customized fundraising solutions to meet your nonprofit’s needs.

Let’s say your organization is using Luminate, a fundraising tool created by Blackbaud; you might hire a digital consultant to customize your Luminate system to help track and market matching gifts to boost your annual fund.

Once you have a better idea of what a consultant firm can offer, you can start figuring out which services align best with your needs. You may need just one service or a combination of all that the firm has to offer.

The takeaway: The more you know about what a nonprofit consultant offers, the better idea you’ll have about whether or not you need their services.

3. Find a firm with previous annual fund experience.

While a nonprofit consultant can’t guarantee you success, working with someone that has previous experience planning annual fund strategies gives you a higher chance of having positive results.

We’ll take a look at three things that your fundraising consultant should be knowledgeable in.

A. Matching gift programs.

As you are probably aware, matching gift programs can help you double your donations. Matched giving requires a lot of promotion and education in order to encourage donors to submit a request to their employer.

You want to hire a fundraising consultant that has prior experience working with the various matching gift programs.

If you choose a nonprofit consulting firm that already has knowledge on this subject, they can help you figure out how to best incorporate matching gifts into your appeals. They might even be able to suggest different services that can help make matching gift promotion easier.

B. Online donation software.

Optimizing your online donation forms is key if you want to encourage donors to participate in recurring giving and gift matching. Find a fundraising consultant that can suggest online donation form best practices.

Additionally, you want to find a firm that is familiar with donor abandonment and how to avoid it. The more your consultant knows about donors’ giving behaviors, the better he or she can guide you on how to make your forms better.

C. Unique ideas for communicating with supporters.

You should look for a nonprofit consultant who can offer you a new perspective on how to approach your annual fund.

For instance, if your nonprofit’s past annual fund communications have been largely through direct mail, in-person events, and phone calls, you could consider bringing someone on with a background in online marketing and fundraising to give your next campaign a new edge. The consultant could help coach you through a complete digital strategy from email to social media.

Essentially, you want to find a consultant who can help you both improve upon what you’re already doing and add new skills and approaches to your repertoire.

With new ideas, your consultant can help you discover different, unique ways to communicate with donors and build those long-lasting relationships. Ultimately, lasting relationships with your supporters will help motive them to give regularly.

The takeaway: When you find someone with the right skills and prior knowledge on annual funds, you don’t have to spend time explaining concepts and can start working on solutions right away.

4. Work with a consultant who can connect often.

Communication is key to working successfully with a nonprofit consulting firm. Establishing communication from the beginning means that there will be less confusion later.

Connecting often with a consultant is important because your nonprofit can:

• Get regular updates on your annual fund plan and strategies.
• Communicate your concerns promptly so that the consultant can make changes early on.
• Explain all your needs and what you hope to achieve.

Depending on your nonprofit consulting needs, you may want to choose a local consultant.

Finding a local fundraising consulting firm will help to ensure that you both are familiar with your nonprofit’s donor community and outreach.

This regional bond can help your nonprofit feel more comfortable with a fundraising consultant and spend more time developing in-depth strategies that target your local demographic’s needs and interests.

That being said, finding a firm that’s close by isn’t always feasible. Plus, remote nonprofit consultants present their own strengths that can be extremely beneficial.

Since remote consultants won’t have the luxury of dropping by your office at the drop of a hat, they’re more likely to stay on schedule (and ensure that your nonprofit does, too!). Additionally, remote consultants can bring a fresh perspective and a different frame of reference to the table.

If you’re considering nonprofit consulting firms that are further away, always make a note to ask them how they communicate with their clients. For instance, having the majority of interactions via email might not be the most ideal approach seeing as some messages might get misinterpreted or overlooked.

Instead, make the effort to have more direct communications with non-local firms through regular phone or video chat sessions.

It’s also a good idea to meet with your nonprofit consulting firm in person as often as you can, especially early in the process so that you can clearly explain all your needs and gain a solid understanding of what plan they have in place for your nonprofit.

The takeaway: Connecting regularly with your nonprofit consultant is important because it allows you to know immediately how things are going to be planned. Plus, you can voice your concerns as soon as they arise.

5. Consider how much a consultant will cost.

Not every nonprofit consulting firm will cost the same, and there are no set guidelines on how a consultant is paid. Some may charge by the hour or day while others may charge per project. Additionally, you might be charged food, travel, hotel fees, and other expenses. It all depends on the firm that you decided to work with.

As you consider the price of a nonprofit consultant, ask yourself what’s most important. Do you want: 

• Someone that meshes well with your nonprofit’s culture?
• A consultant with lots of experience handling similar nonprofits?
• A firm that can offer creative and unique suggestions for your annual fund strategy?

Once you’ve figured out what is crucial for your nonprofit, you can start to narrow down your options. Perhaps paying a little extra for the skills and characteristics you need won’t seem like such a bad thing in the long run.

The takeaway: The cost of a fundraising consultant is inevitable; make sure that you get the best return on your investment. Consider what services or skills you want from your firm and then compare prices.

6. Narrow down your selection and request a proposal.

Before you make your final choice, it’s a good idea to request a proposal or ask your top firms to pitch their suggestions. A proposal will give you a better idea of what each nonprofit consulting firm suggests you do to improve your annual fund. In other words, it will give you a taste of what to expect.

The proposal can be a formal, in-person presentation or a document that firms send to you with their suggestions. Either way, you should request the same type of proposal from all your top picks to be consistent.

When you request your pitches, give the nonprofit consultant some time to really come up with solutions. If you give them too little time, they’re likely going to send you general pitches that aren’t specific to your nonprofit’s needs. Give them at least 3 weeks to submit their solutions.

After every firm turns in their proposal or presents their pitch, take some time to consider every firms’ suggestions. As you take each one into consideration, make sure you ask the following questions:

• Did the firm offer you solutions specific to your nonprofit’s goals?
• Were they confident in their solutions?
• Did they offer any statistics to back up their suggestions?

Of course, you can add to this list with other questions that are important to you.

Now it’s time to make your choice! Use all the information you’ve gained about each firm to help you decide which one is best for you.

The takeaway: Requesting a pitch is one way to get a better understanding of what each nonprofit consultant suggests your nonprofit do to improve your annual fund. Use this step as a way to narrow down your options and pick the best solution.

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With these tips, you can start searching for the fundraising consulting firm that best fits your needs. Look for a firm that meshes well with your nonprofit’s culture and has prior experience working with similar organizations.

If you would like to learn more about hiring a fundraising consultant, check out these helpful resources: 

1. 11 Top Fundraising Consultants. Now that you’ve got tips to help you hire a fundraising consultant, it’s time to start your search. Check out this list of our top consultants.
2. Top 10 Fundraising Consulting Firms.  As you begin looking, you might realize that not every consultant offers the same services. Check out these consulting firms to find one that meets all your organization’s needs.
3. Nonprofit Fundraising Ideas. Looking for more ways to boost your annual fund? Get our full list of fundraising ideas to help you raise even more funds this year!
4. Nonprofit Tools and Best Practices. In addition to consultant tips, 501 Commons provides resources that every nonprofit organization can take advantage of. Check out what they have to say about choosing a consultant, plus more.
5. Top Fundraising Consultants in Ohio and Indiana. If you think that hiring a local consultant is the best option for your nonprofit, check out our list of consultants located in the Midwest.

With so many platforms and vendors out there, choosing the right donor database for your nonprofit is no easy feat.

But when you consider how crucial your donor database is to the success of your operations, it couldn’t be more important to choose the right one.

With the right platform on your side, you’ll be able to get a comprehensive picture of your donors and more efficiently manage your efforts to see better fundraising results.

Unfortunately, many nonprofits go into the buying process unprepared. Without having done their research and knowing the right questions to ask, these organizations fall into many mistakes that can hurt their operations and limit their success.

Luckily, these mistakes are completely avoidable if you know what to expect when shopping for a new nonprofit CRM.

To prevent you from falling into the same traps, we’ll take you through the top 13 tips to keep you from making mistakes when choosing a donor database:

1. Don’t shop for the wrong type of software.
2. Put thought into your reasons for buying.
3. Select a platform that supports all of the users you need.
4. Find a platform that has room to accommodate all of your constituents.
5. Give your organization room to grow.
6. Choose a platform that supports all of the necessary functionalities.
7. Make sure the database can be integrated with the necessary third-party platforms.
8. Explicitly ask about price.
9. Make sure your platform doesn’t require difficult data migration.
10. Your platform must be secure.
11. The platform should come with enough training.
12. Make sure your organization will receive sufficient support.
13. Consult a second opinion.

By the time we’re done, you’ll be prepared to pick the perfect donor database. Let’s get started!

Need a refresher on buying software? Check out Salsa’s infographic before diving in.

Donor Database Tip #1: Don’t shop for the wrong type of software.

Fortunately for nonprofits everywhere, there are tons of different fundraising software solutions to help organizations optimize the fundraising process.

Unfortunately, this multiplicity only complicates the buying process.

When shopping for a new nonprofit donor database, you’ll first want to make sure that a donor database is actually the type of software you need.

To refresh, nonprofits use donor databases to house all of the important information they receive about their donors throughout the span of the donor’s’ relationship with the organization.

You can track virtually anything, like:

• Biographical information and demographics
• Contact information
• Households and relationships
• Donation and volunteer history
• Interests and affinities
• And much more!

Donor databases allow organizations to track all donor data centrally, so all data sources can communicate with each other to give nonprofits a 360° view of their donors.

All different types of nonprofits rely on databases to keep track of constituent information and daily operations. There are general, all-purpose nonprofit databases as well as specialized, industry-specific solutions such as museum management tools or camp databases. If your nonprofit has highly specific needs, make sure you search for software that supports those goals!

For all nonprofits, creating a centralized system for storing all of the information you collect from donors and other supporters is one of the first steps to developing more targeted fundraising and engagement strategies. Learn more about what goes into effective data management by reading this post from DNL OmniMedia.

The takeaway: There are many different types of fundraising software out there. If you’re shopping for a donor database, make sure it’s the best solution to fit your needs.

Donor Database Tip #2: Put thought into your reasons for buying.

If you’re considering a new donor database, it’s probably because your organization needs a change.

Maybe you’re limited by the incomplete insights you’ve been receiving from housing your donor data in multiple platforms.

Maybe you’re tired of wasting so many man hours cleaning up your data.

Maybe you’re already using a platform that’s too expensive, and you just want something a little more affordable.

Point is, there are many reasons why nonprofits shop for a new (or their first!) donor database.

While we couldn’t possibly list out all of the reasons organizations shop for new software, here are a few of the most common:

• To gain a more complete understanding of their donors.
• To achieve more efficient or seamless operations.
• To free up staff time.
• To better organize their data.
• To better oversee staff and volunteer efforts.
• To switch to a platform that’s easier to use.
• To upgrade to a platform that’s larger or more scalable.
• To switch to a platform with a more comprehensive feature set.
• To find a platform with better support or training.
• To change to a platform that’s more cost-effective.

While all platforms will provide similar benefits, some platforms will be better at providing certain functionalities than others.

That’s why it’s important to determine exactly why you’re shopping for a new nonprofit CRM. That way, you can make sure that the platform you end up buying actually aligns with your reasons for shopping.

The takeaway: Going into the buying process aware of why you’re shopping will ensure that your organization finds a solution that can address the areas you’d most like to improve.

Donor Database Tip #3: Select a platform that supports all of the users you need.

To accommodate nonprofits of all sizes, donor database vendors usually price their software partially based off of how many people can use it.

Unfortunately, many organizations go into the buying process unaware of this fact and end up buying a solution that can’t support all of the users they need.

That means at least one important staff member won’t have access to all of the tools and information required to help them do their job as well as possible, limiting the greater success of the organization.

Luckily, this mistake is super easy to avoid. All you need to do is determine how many staff members will be using the software before you buy. This way, you can select an interface that gives you the right number of users for your organization, like DonorPerfect:

While some organizations with small staffs only need access for one or two users, large organizations might need a platform that supports dozens. It all depends on the needs and makeup of your organization.

The takeaway: Don’t buy a solution only to find out that all of the necessary staff members don’t have access to it. Think about how many users you’ll need from the beginning to find a donor database that’s the perfect size for your organization.

Donor Database Tip #4: Find a platform that has room to accommodate all of your constituents.

The price of donor databases is also usually influenced by the number of constituent profiles that it allows.

And it makes sense! Nonprofit donor databases are donor-centric, so it’s only natural that their price would be determined by the number of donors they can accommodate.

As such, you’ll want to check (and double check!) that the nonprofit CRM you’re considering can hold the entirety of your donor base.

If not, you won’t be able to track all of your donors’ important information, leaving you with little to no insight into a portion of your base.

Check out DonorPerfect’s donor database software to see what a comprehensive product looks like for your constituent profiles. Below you’ll see a list of donor profiles:

Considering that one of the main benefits of using a donor database is to give your organization the most complete picture of your donors available, buying a platform that’s too small would totally defeat the purpose of buying new software.

The takeaway: Find a platform that’s the right size for you so that all of your donors will be housed comfortably in your new donor database.

Donor Database Tip #5: Give your organization room to grow.

On that note, when determining how many supporter profiles your new nonprofit CRM should hold, you’ll also want to look towards the future.

Chances are, your nonprofit is growing and changing quickly. And with the help of your new donor database, your growth should skyrocket!

Your donor database shouldn’t just support the number of donor profiles you have right now; it should also give you room to grow.

Buying a scalable solution ensures that you can continue accommodating all of the new donor information you receive as your base expands. If you buy a solution that’s too limited, you’ll only be buying a new donor database sooner.

However, be wary. While you want to dream big, you also don’t want to buy a solution that’s too large, or else you’ll be wasting money on something you don’t need.

The takeaway: When determining how many donor profiles your new database should support, consider the foreseeable future. You’ll want to strike the perfect balance by finding a solution that can grow with you but that still fits your current needs.

Donor Database Tip #6: Choose a platform that supports all of the necessary functionalities.

While most donor databases will have a similar set of basic functionalities, some are more comprehensive or specialized than others.

Because features vary from platform to platform, you’ll need to determine whether or not the provider you’re considering has all of the functionalities you need to execute your efforts.

For example, if you’re buying software with the main goal of making your operations more efficient, you’ll want to find a donor database with as many automated features as possible, such as generating donation receipts after supporters submit their donations online.

In addition to automation features, to get the most out of your CRM, you should look for the following capabilities:

• Detailed constituent profiles. Not only is it important for you to track a donor’s basic information and past giving history. To get a complete picture of each donor, you should be able to add custom fields to your profiles to track a donor’s interests and past interactions with your nonprofit.
• Gift management and custom webforms. When you have a CRM that can process donations and build forms, you don’t have to worry about transferring your donor data; it will already be integrated with your donor database.
• Email Communications. Collecting donor data can be used to improve your communications and provide donors with the most relevant information. With that said, having the ability to send out mass and automated emails through your CRM can make the process seamless. For instance, your segmented list of donors can easily be linked to your automated communications so that you can send targeted emails.
• Reporting and analytics. Another piece of your CRM should be focused on analyzing the data from your donor profiles and donation forms to provide you with reports on giving habits, as well as preferred donation methods. This information can help you improve your online fundraising efforts. Check out Salsa’s reports:

If the base platform you’re considering doesn’t have all of the functionalities you need, these gaps can often be addressed by compounding your donor database with expansions.

Expansions simply refer to other software solutions that have been developed by the same vendor and, as such, are easily integrated with your donor database.

For example, because Salsa specializes in CRMs, they provide excellent donor management software that can be integrated with your CRM to provide a more comprehensive set of features.

Whether you’re supplementing your donor database with expansions or just need the base software, make sure that your platform of choice will support all of the features you need.

If not, it’s time to look at a different solution!

The takeaway: Buy a donor database that has all of the required features so you can most effectively manage your fundraising efforts.

Donor Database Tip #7: Make sure the platform can be integrated with the necessary third party platform.

If the platform you’re looking at doesn’t have all of the features you need, you might still be able to supply those features with integrations.

Integrations are similar to expansions in that they can be added onto your donor database to provide additional functionality.

The only difference is that these platforms that have been developed by a third-party vendor, so incorporating them into your donor database might prove a little more difficult.

Some common donor database integrations include:

• Matching gift services
• Accounting
• Email marketing
• Social media management
• Wealth screening and prospect research services

Make sure that your donor database can support any integrations you need to fill in the features you’re missing.

If you’re already using a third-party platform to supply these missing functionalities, this will be as simple as asking your vendor if the software can integrate with your current platform.

Check out Salsa Labs’ donor database integrations with both Double the Donation’s matching gift tools below:

Salsa integrates with DonorSearch’s prospect research tools, too:

It will be much more difficult (and potentially detrimental to your operations) if it turns out that the third-party platform you’re using isn’t integratable with your new donor database.

Switching to a new platform will require more data transfer and time, since you’ll have to learn a new interface. In other words, it will only detract from your fundraising efforts.

The takeaway: Your new donor database should support all of the integrations you need to provide all of the features that will set you up for success!

Donor Database Tip #8: Explicitly ask about price.

Considering that price is one of the biggest anxieties that nonprofits have when shopping for new software, you’d be surprised by how many organizations don’t ask about price.

It’s an all-too-easy mistake to make. The organization goes onto the vendor’s website, sees the list price, and automatically assumes that’s what they’ll be paying.

While we would all like to hope that any donor database vendor would be transparent and spell out the costs, unfortunately that won’t always be the case.

That’s why it could not be more important for your organization to ask about the costs outright.

Donor databases are highly customizable tools. Thus, even the same platform can vary drastically in price.

The list price (that displayed on the pricing page of the vendor’s website) usually only accounts for the number of users, the number of donor profiles, and the basic feature set.

However, there are many other factors that can influence the price of your nonprofit CRM, such as:

• Expansions and integrations.
• Costs associated with training and IT support.
• Payment processing fees.
• Data transfer and clean-up.
• Updates to your software as technology advances.

Make sure your donor database actually fits into your budget by asking about costs at the beginning of the buying process.

The takeaway: The price of donor databases can be impacted by many different factors. Ask your vendor explicitly about costs to make sure your purchase won’t strain your organization fiscally.

Donor Database Tip #9: Make sure your platform doesn’t require difficult data migration.

In order to get up and running with your new donor database, you’ll need to transfer over all of the donor data you already have.

Unfortunately, data migration will always come with difficulties. It’s a long process that requires:

• Cleaning up your existing data (as to only transfer what’s relevant).
• Exporting it from the old platform.
• Importing it into the new platform.
• Going back over your data to ensure that it was correctly transferred.

Just how difficult this process is will depend on how compatible your current systems are with your new donor database and how much support the vendor provides.

With some platforms, data transfer will be much more involved. While this might not seem like a big deal, choosing software that requires an especially difficult data migration process is a big mistake.

Not only will this be a headache for your organization, but it can also put a dent in your operations.

Think about it: the longer it takes you to transfer your data over, the longer it will be before you can start using your new software to improve your fundraising.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should jump right in and do it yourself. Data migration is a complex process, and each platform is different. The best vendors will assess your data and provide you with assistance, if necessary.

Remember that your constituent data is the most valuable data your organization has — importing it right the first time will ensure your organization can raise more and be more efficient in the long run.

The takeaway: Data migration is a huge part of getting your donor database set up. Find a vendor who will provide you with the support you need so that it won’t be hassle.

Donor Database Tip #10: Your platform must be secure.

Your donor database will be home to all of your donor data, including your donor’s sensitive information.

That being the case, you’ll want to be absolutely sure that the donor database you’re considering has the proper security measures in place to protect this information.

One of the main features your donor database should include is advanced control over permissions. This feature will allow you to give only certain staff members access to information, so that only the people who absolutely need access to confidential information will have it.

Additionally, if your donor database comes with online fundraising tools (or you’re otherwise accepting donors’ payment information), you should make sure that the database is PCI-compliant. Being PCI-compliant simply means that the platform’s payment processing tools are in keeping with the security standards set out by the Payment Card Industry.

Failing to ask about security could mean that you’re putting your supporters’ confidential information in jeopardy.

If that information were to fall into the wrong hands, not only would you be damaging the trust you’ve so carefully built up with your donors, but you might also face legal repercussions.

Secure your peace of mind by asking your vendor about security!

The takeaway: Handling sensitive information requires the right precautions. Asking your vendor about security is the only way to ensure that your donor database can properly protect your donors.

Donor Database Tip #11: The platform should come with enough training.

Let’s be honest—many of us aren’t as savvy with technology as we’d like to think.

While we hope that your donor database will be relatively intuitive for your staff to use, learning how to use any new platform will naturally require some training.

Without the proper training, you and your staff might be able to use your donor database, but you definitely won’t be able to utilize it as effectively as possible.

Get the most out of your new software by making sure it comes with the level of training you need.

Most vendors offer a couple of different options for training to accommodate for a range of budgets.

The most basic option is usually a free, pre-recorded training video you can watch on the computer. While this will give your staff a general idea of the platform’s interface and functionality, training won’t be adjusted to fit the unique needs of your organization.

If you’re willing to splurge a little bit, you can pay to receive custom training. With this option, someone will walk your staff through the platform with a specific focus on the modules you’ll be using most. Training can either be done online or on-site, and staff will have the opportunity to ask any questions that might come up.

Whether or not customized training is worth it to you will depend on the needs and resources of your organization. But if you need it, make sure it’s a viable option.

The takeaway: The proper level of training will allow your staff to make the most out of the new donor database to see the best fundraising results.

Donor Database Tip #12: Make sure your organization will receive sufficient support.

Your working relationship with your vendor won’t just end the minute they’ve set up your donor database and taught you how to use it.

You’ll be using your platform for years to come (at least, we hope so!). Chances are, at some point during these many years, you’ll run into some technical difficulties.

If your vendor provides excellent support, this will be no big deal. They’ll quickly field your problem and get you back on track before you’ve strayed too far.

Now imagine the other scenario: your donor database suddenly crashes, and you can’t get a consultant on the phone. You try to contact them by email, but still no luck. Days go by before—finally—you hear something back.

After days of waiting, it looks like your problem is going to be resolved. But once you have that consultant on the phone, they’re inattentive and unhelpful, and it still takes them a week to fix the issue.

Meanwhile, your organization has been missing out on a countless number of fundraising opportunities. Who knows how many dollars you’ve lost or how many new donors you’ve missed out on.

Point being, it could not be more important to make sure that your platform comes with sufficient support. Your vendor should be readily available to help you with any issues that come up and should be able to address these issues with little turnaround time.

When it comes to your fundraising, it could make all the difference!

The takeaway: Buying a donor database with insufficient support can be detrimental to your fundraising. Make sure your software is always running at top speed by choosing a donor database with support that’s attentive, efficient, and available.

Donor Database Tip #13: Consult a second opinion.

Say you’re making a big purchase like a car or a mattress.

You’re shelling out your hard-earned dollars, so you wouldn’t just go into the purchase blind. We’re willing to bet that you’d probably go online or flip through Consumer Reports first to see if you could find any reviews that would help you make your decision. You might even ask one of your friends for their advice on which product they like best.

So, why wouldn’t you do the same when shopping for your donor database?

Second opinions not only attest firsthand to the value of the product you’re considering, but they can also give you that extra boost of confidence you might need before going through with the purchase.

In other words, consulting a second opinion will help you decide if the platform you’re considering is really the right one for you.

For the best advice, turn to current users.

While you can likely find reviews online, you should also ask your vendor if they can refer you to any of their other clients whose organizations are similar to your own.

The advice of current users will be invaluable. They use the platform every day, likely to assist with efforts similar to your own.

Nobody better understands the day-to-day difficulties that nonprofits face, so they’ll be able to give you a well-rounded view of the platform’s strengths and weaknesses.

It never hurts to ask, so don’t be shy about requesting references from your vendor. If they have happy customers and a truly great product, they’ll want to put you in touch!

The takeaway: A second opinion will give you the assurance and insight you need to decide if the new donor database you’ve been considering is the perfect fit for your organization.

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There are a lot of considerations that go into choosing the right donor database for your organization. With so much to think about from fundraising to constituent profiles, it’s no wonder that nonprofits can run into so many obstacles.

However, if you go into the buying process prepared, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to avoid these mistakes.

Now, start the search for your perfect donor database!

For more information on donor databases, take a look at these additional resources:

1. Nonprofit CRM Software. Check out our guide on CRM software for all the tips and helpful pointers your organization needs.
2. Donor Database Software: Top 10 Nonprofit Platforms. Take a look at out top 10 donor database platforms for nonprofits to get your search started.
3. Salsa’s 7 Tips to Convince Your Board to Invest in Fundraising Software. If you need help convincing your board to invest in fundraising software, check out Salsa’s tips to win them over.

PowerPoint Presentation: Develop A Matching Gift Roadmap

Use this presentation to lead your team through a conversation about increasing your matching gift revenue. These slides are easily edited to include your organization’s specific matching gift numbers, which can provide a great launch point for building an even better matching gift program!