8 Types of Nonprofit Software That Support Your Mission

Modern nonprofit software does more than just streamline processes, enhance reporting, increase visibility, and improve collaboration. It also leverages automation and AI to unlock additional functionality, enabling your teams to improve productivity with fewer resources. Read on to learn about eight types of nonprofit software and how they can maximize your organization’s impact on the communities it serves. 

What to Look For When Choosing Nonprofit Software

Some general factors to consider when choosing nonprofit software include cost, extended support, system security, and a user-friendly interface. But choosing the right software requires going deeper so you can pick a solution that best aligns with your requirements.

Some specific factors to help you make the right choice include: 

Nonprofit-Specific Features 

It’s obvious that nonprofit organizations operate differently and have unique requirements. That’s why it’s a good idea to look for features most relevant to nonprofits, such as grant management, fund accounting, and donation management tools. 

Integration Capabilities

Software that integrates shares real-time data to reduce data entry and minimize repetitive tasks. Benefits include saved time, reduced costs, fewer errors, and the use of combined metrics to provide a complete picture of your organization’s health.

Automation

Automation is becoming a standard feature in most software systems. For example, donor management software leverages automation to streamline communications, schedule reminders, and track donations. 

Another example is automated event registration, ticketing, and notification features provided by event management software. Lastly, modern fundraising software applications use automation to set up recurring donations, automate emails, and schedule and post content automatically. 

AI-Powered Features

AI is another modern tool that unlocks new features and enhances the software experience. 

Examples include:

• AI-powered predictive analytics that analyze data to forecast program impacts, donation trends, and budget outcomes
• AI-enhanced tools that personalize communications for strategic marketing campaigns
• Chatbots that assist visitors with questions about a nonprofit’s programs, events, products, services, and volunteer opportunities

Cloud-Based Functionality

Cloud-powered software allows your team to connect from any location to access data and collaborate on shared projects. Benefits include cost-effectiveness, easy scaling, advanced integration capabilities, and robust security protocols that safeguard sensitive data.

 
Additional Costs

The price of software sometimes goes beyond subscription costs. Depending on your chosen system, there may be additional implementation, integration, and support expenses.

8 Types of Nonprofit Software Systems That Support Your Mission

Customized nonprofit software is the best choice for most organizations because they are built with specific features that help them achieve their mission.

Some options for nonprofits include:

1. Financial Software

Numerous cloud-based nonprofit accounting software solutions are now available that facilitate all aspects of financial management with features that include:

• Fund accounting that tracks and reports activities by fund, grant or program
• Budgeting and forecasting tools that help predict program outcomes and fundraising trends
• Features that enable users to track and manage grants from application to closeout
• Customizable dashboards, financial statements, and drill-down reports
• Integration and automation features

Overall, financial software should give nonprofits total visibility into how resources are allocated and used. Options include Sage Intacct, QuickBooks, and FreshBooks. 

All systems have their benefits and drawbacks. Just be sure to choose a solution that enables financial reporting according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) guidelines. 

2. Learning Management Systems

Learning management systems enable nonprofits to manage continuing education programs easily and efficiently. Look for applications that facilitate online course delivery, offer assessments and  feedback, and provide additional resources to students. 

3. Fundraising and Prospect Reach Software

Prospect reach and fundraising management software identifies potential donors, automates processes, and tracks progress towards predefined fundraising goals. 

Prospect reach software additionally allows organizations to refine their donor database by inputting additional information such as contribution history, net worth, and areas of interest. These capabilities help organizations prioritize donors for targeted fundraising campaigns through insights that identify their preferences and motivations. 

Maximizing donor retention rates is another critical aspect of successful fundraising. Some prospect reach software systems help nonprofits monitor this important metric by providing data-driven insights that help teams maximize their retention strategy. 

4. Member Management Systems

Association management systems handle multiple aspects of a nonprofit organization on a single interface. Advanced solutions include advanced constituent relationship management features, event management and marketing tools, and automated member communications.  Some systems also allow organizations to publish exclusive member-only content, track online donations, and connect to online fundraising platforms. 

5. Digital Advocacy Software

Digital advocacy software helps nonprofits generate support for critical issues by enabling them to engage and mobilize supporters to take action. 

Features include campaign creation, petitions, email campaigns, and online tools that help users show support with a few clicks. Other features include campaign tracking and advanced analytics that help teams measure the impact of their advocacy efforts. 

6. Website Content Management Systems

Content management systems like WordPress and Drupal allow teams to easily publish articles, donation pages, and online donation forms without coding skills. When integrated with membership systems or marketing software, users can additionally leverage other features. These include scheduling tools, content targeting, user tracking, and reporting on key metrics like website traffic and engagement.

7. Marketing Software

Marketing software enables nonprofits to reach and engage with more of their target audience to increase awareness, drive donations, and boost engagement. 

Key features include content and social media tools, automated email communications, retargeting and ad analytics tools, user segmentation, and scoring. In addition, some systems offer marketing and publishing capabilities in one solution, enabling organizations to integrate multiple processes on a single interface.

Maximize your organization’s impact with integrated software built for nonprofits.

The right software solution stack can make all the difference in your organization’s impact on the communities it serves. 
enSYNC has helped nonprofit professionals maximize the potential of their organization for over 25 years. Contact us to schedule a demo and we’ll show you how nonprofit software solutions can easily improve productivity, save time, and reduce costs.