What is the best software for a small start-up non-profit?

Hi,

I was a director in an internationally known non-profit for a long time.  During that time we used Filemaker and then switched to Raiser's Edge (which I really dislike).

I'm helping a non-profit get started and running.  I'd like to find a cheap (even free??) software solution that only demands one time entry of data for both donor management, accounting and future online/web integration.

I'd love to hear from people with over a year's experience with a system(s) that they really like for functionality and cost.  I've heard of Giftworks - but don't know if they integrate with accounting.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Jonathan Bernd (Rebuild Africa)

Dear Jonathan,

Welcome to TechSoup!

GiftWorks has been discussed here many times.  Just run a search and you'll find lots of info.

Also, be sure to check out Idealware's articles about inexpensive databases at  http://www.idealware.org/articles/constituent_databases.php including the latest one, A Consumers Guide to Low Cost Donor Management Systems.  GiftWorks is one of the systems they reviewed.  TechSoup published a review of (mostly) inexpensive systems a few years ago.  It's at http://techsoup.org/learningcenter/databases/page5961.cfm

We also published a roundup of inexpensive systems back in 2005, which also listed many free databases.  That article is at http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/databases/archives/page10169.cfm. (Caveat: most of the prices have gone up since then, some of the formerly free systems are no longer free, and some of these companies no longer exist,)

Robert

I'm not sure what you need specifically out of a Donor Management solution but I can tell you that you can use a merchant account that has a Quickbooks plusing already and allows processing via web for a fraction of the cost of Giftworks (transction fees are more like 2.2% instead of the over 4% of giftworks and monthly fees are cheaper as well).  And if you really don't need a Quickbooks plugin the costs can get even lower. 

Giftworks and some of the others reviewed are  a great niche products but from what I've seen working with non-profits that need payment solutions many of them don't need all of these features as they may already have software and just need to process payments and send donors a thank you receipt, and setup recurring monthly donations if needed.  A typical merchant account can do just that with a smaller transaction fee.

If you have any questions or need help finding a merchant account solution feel free to email me at msinfo@merchantseek.com or info@donorcharge.com

Joe