Nonprofit fundraising technology checklist

12 things to consider when buying nonprofit fundraising technology

Finding the right fundraising software is complicated, especially for nonprofit organizations tasked with wearing many hats at one time to reach and even exceed fundraising goals.

It is one of the most common challenges in nonprofit fundraising. With nonprofit leaders forced to make countless tough decisions each day, some decisions can be more complicated than others—like how to modernize a fundraising program.

“Modernization” can mean so many things, and depending on what your organization needs, it can differ from team to team. Identifying where to begin before making a final decision can be challenging. As a result, finding a perfect solution for nonprofit fundraising technology is nearly impossible.

However, it is possible to cut through the noise. See our checklist for the 12 things to consider when purchasing nonprofit fundraising technology.

But wait—how much does this cost?

Of course, we left one question off of that list–cost.

That was intentional for the sake of helping you identify if the purchase is indeed a solution to your problem and one that will work for you.

But, if there ever was the elephant in the room, the total cost is it. Ask for price, cost broken down by contract year, special discounting for extended contracts, implementation fees, software maintenance fees, and understand the bottom line investment. Once you have an idea of pricing and how the solution will fit into your team’s existing workflow, you will need to find room in your budget.

Of course, each organization handles budgeting differently, so that this step will depend on your internal processes. However, there are ways to make a case for your team’s need for a solution that will benefit the organization. 

Managing adoption of nonprofit fundraising technology

Humans are creatures of habit. Asking employees to change their workflows, especially seasoned and skilled employees, can be met with resistance and objections.

If your solution requires a significant change for your workforce, bring your key stakeholders into the conversation early and often so they help you with change management. Luckily, not all software requires employees to change the way they work. The best solutions seamlessly integrate into existing processes that enable people to perform their jobs at a higher level without getting bogged down by logging into an additional website or working on another screen.

Look for solutions that require little to no functional changes in how you work to achieve maximum adoption. When thinking about how to address adoption, it’s not just existing employees that will have to use the tools. Any new hires will also need to be introduced to your systems. In the interest of getting new hires ramped up as quickly as possible, you want your tech stack to be as easy as possible to learn.

The bottom line

Technology must be looked at as an extension of the workforce in today’s world. In the same way that organizations vet potential employees, nonprofit leaders should look at tech solutions with a similar eye.

Tech is ever-changing, meaning leaders will need to properly assess and implement new tech to drive organizational success.

For nonprofit fundraisers, technology’s impact can directly affect the bottom line and the organization’s overall achievements. 

Therefore, fundraising leaders must recognize the vital role technology plays in their team’s performance and take the proper steps to implement modern, forward-thinking tools.

We hope that this checklist will help you make informed decisions when assessing new tools that will enable your organization to accomplish incredible things. 

Learn how Gravyty’s fundraising suite can help you engage, ask and thank your network to power your cause. Get your free consultation.