What is the best free nonprofit software for your organization?
On a tight budget? Try a free nonprofit pro tool to manage CRM, event planning, accounting, and more.
Running a nonprofit takes a lot of management. From donations and memberships to projects and events, everything has to be recorded and monitored.
Because of your time constraints, and the fact that most of your revenue goes to your cause, you cannot afford to waste money on software that does not work.
This is why finding the best free nonprofit software is so important. Not only will it help you save money, it will help you focus your energy on fundraising and engaging with your audience.
Here is our guide to picking the best free (or cheap) nonprofit software.
Because of your time constraints, and the fact that most of your revenue goes to your cause, you cannot afford to waste money on software that does not work.
This is why finding the best free nonprofit software is so important. Not only will it help you save money, it will help you focus your energy on fundraising and engaging with your audience.
Here is our guide to picking the best free (or cheap) nonprofit software.
What is Free Nonprofit Software?Â
Nonprofits face unique challenges in management that require specialized software. There are tons of great companies that devote themselves to helping the nonprofit realm get it done without draining money from their cause.
A lot of high-end for-profit management softwares actually come with free or heavily-discounted versions specifically for nonprofits. Other software options are built from the ground up with nonprofit pricing in mind. This affords nonprofits the luxury of choice.
But making the right choice is not necessarily a guarantee. That is why we at Springly have come up with this unbeatable guide to free nonprofit software to save you time. We have compiled your top five options when it comes to free nonprofit management software so you can stop Googling and get back to being the best at running your operation
A lot of high-end for-profit management softwares actually come with free or heavily-discounted versions specifically for nonprofits. Other software options are built from the ground up with nonprofit pricing in mind. This affords nonprofits the luxury of choice.
But making the right choice is not necessarily a guarantee. That is why we at Springly have come up with this unbeatable guide to free nonprofit software to save you time. We have compiled your top five options when it comes to free nonprofit management software so you can stop Googling and get back to being the best at running your operation
How to Choose a Free Nonprofit Software
The first thing to consider when choosing a free nonprofit software is what features your organization needs. The next step is determining which features are less important and can be left out. After you've clearly defined the core functionality, it's time to look at potential solutions and find one that matches your needs.
Let's start with some questions you should ask yourself:
Let's start with some questions you should ask yourself:
- What features does my nonprofit need?
- What features do I not need?
- What features are most important to me (the executive director/treasurerbookkeeper/president)?
- What features are most important to my board of directors?
- What are the most important features for staff members at all levels of employee hierarchy (from entry-level volunteers up to executive directors)?
Typically, you should have a nonprofit management software (or array of softwares) that accomplishes all of the following:
- Email Marketing
- Accounting
- Website Creation
- Event Management
- Membership Management
- Customer Relations Management
Note that only a few softwares can actually do all of that, and you may need to grab a few softwares in order to get all your featurability, especially at the free level.
Potential Solutions
Now that we know what makes a good nonprofit software, let’s check out some examples:
#1 Springly - All-In-One Nonprofit ManagementÂ
Springly is the single most effective and flexible software you can get for your nonprofit. While it does not have a free version, the pricing is very accessible. And for that pricing, you are getting a tool that will bring your nonprofit to new heights.
Combine your CRM, accounting software, website, event manager, and membership management software into one lightning-fast and deadbolt reliable engine. Cut down on overhead and man-hours with Springly.
Combine your CRM, accounting software, website, event manager, and membership management software into one lightning-fast and deadbolt reliable engine. Cut down on overhead and man-hours with Springly.
#2 Bloomerang - Email Marketing Automation and ManagementÂ
Bloomerang is a great free choice for nonprofits that raise less than $100,000 per year. If you’re larger than that, you can use a sliding scale pricing model for Bloomerang Standard that starts at a very reasonable $99 per month. It also works well as a free alternative to Constant Contact, another very popular paid email service.
Bloomerang is an email marketing tool with an intuitive interface and a powerful set of features such as automated campaigns, customizable templates, integrations with tools like MailChimp and Salesforce CRM, autoresponders, landing pages, and personalized URLs (which allow you to track your email opens). You can customize your emails by adding images or videos from YouTube or Vimeo.
The free version has limited functionality, so you’ll have to pay if you want access to advanced features such as A/B testing on new messages before sending them out en masse.
Bloomerang is an email marketing tool with an intuitive interface and a powerful set of features such as automated campaigns, customizable templates, integrations with tools like MailChimp and Salesforce CRM, autoresponders, landing pages, and personalized URLs (which allow you to track your email opens). You can customize your emails by adding images or videos from YouTube or Vimeo.
The free version has limited functionality, so you’ll have to pay if you want access to advanced features such as A/B testing on new messages before sending them out en masse.
#3 Join It - Membership SoftwareÂ
Join It Membership Software is a cloud-based membership management solution that helps you easily manage your organization's population, automate workflows and processes, and increase your revenue.
The software can be used for various membership types including families, groups, or organizations like schools or churches. With Join It's intuitive interface you can create memberships that are priced per month or year based on the number of people in each group.
The pricing plans start very, very low ($9/mo) but vary depending on your needs and how many people are in the group that you want to manage; so it may cost more or less than listed here.
The software can be used for various membership types including families, groups, or organizations like schools or churches. With Join It's intuitive interface you can create memberships that are priced per month or year based on the number of people in each group.
The pricing plans start very, very low ($9/mo) but vary depending on your needs and how many people are in the group that you want to manage; so it may cost more or less than listed here.
#4 Salesforce for NonprofitsÂ
Salesforce is typically known as a paid tool used by for-profit businesses, but they actually run a profit that offers nonprofits free versions of their software.
Salesforce for nonprofits is a great option for organizations that need to track donations and memberships. It provides a robust set of features, including the ability to manage donor relationships and automate thank you emails, while also helping nonprofits keep track of their fundraising efforts.
If you want an all-in-one solution with comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) functionality, Salesforce for nonprofits may be right up your alley.
Salesforce for nonprofits is a great option for organizations that need to track donations and memberships. It provides a robust set of features, including the ability to manage donor relationships and automate thank you emails, while also helping nonprofits keep track of their fundraising efforts.
If you want an all-in-one solution with comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) functionality, Salesforce for nonprofits may be right up your alley.
#5 Golden Nonprofit SoftwareÂ
Golden Nonprofit Software is a solution that combines all of the best features of other software into one platform. It has all the functionality and customization options you would expect from a CRM, E-Commerce, accounting, and other types of business software.
Golden Nonprofit Software also comes with built-in training videos to help you learn how to use the system quickly with your team members. The training videos are designed for people who have never used more than basic desktop applications before, so they’re very easy to follow along with even if you have no previous experience using complex software like this before.
Golden Nonprofit Software also comes with built-in training videos to help you learn how to use the system quickly with your team members. The training videos are designed for people who have never used more than basic desktop applications before, so they’re very easy to follow along with even if you have no previous experience using complex software like this before.
Final Thoughts Â
Finding a nonprofit software that is both effective and free to use can be tough. It seems that everything out there is either not really what you are looking for, or costs $1,000 a month.
The list above gives you several good options that are what your nonprofit needs while still being free (or at least very, very cheap). Our top five picks for free nonprofit management software are:
The list above gives you several good options that are what your nonprofit needs while still being free (or at least very, very cheap). Our top five picks for free nonprofit management software are:
- Springly
- Bloomerang
- Join it
- Salesforce for nonprofits
- Golden
Not all of these are all-in-one like Springly, but a combination of two or three should get you to where you need to be without breaking the bank.
As always, if you have any questions or you are ready for an all-in-one solution, Springly has your back.
As always, if you have any questions or you are ready for an all-in-one solution, Springly has your back.